Streaming sports on a stand-alone basis won’t be cheap.
Venu, the streaming joint venture backed by Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery and built around the sports offerings of all three companies, will launch with an initial price tag of $42.99 per month. The service is expected to debut in the fall in conjunction with the start of the next NFL season.
“With an impressive portfolio of sports programming, Venu will provide sports fans in the U.S. with a single destination for watching many of the most sought-after games and events,” said Pete Distad, CEO of the new outlet, in a statement. “We’re building Venu from the ground up for fans who want seamless access to watch the sports they love, and we will launch at a compelling price point that will appeal to the cord cutter and cord never fans currently not served by existing pay TV packages.”
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Venu represents a bet by the three media companies that they can launch a thriving business built on the notion that some portion of younger consumers — the ones who don’t subscribe to traditional cable or satellite services — will find value in a broadband portal that offers access to a significant portion of sports available via traditional media. Venue plans to burnish the sports offerings of 14 different TV networks as well as a library of documentaries and other programs from the archives of ESPN, Fox Sports and others.
Subscribers to Venu will have access to linear sports networks, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ABC, FOX, FS1, FS2, BTN, TNT, TBS, truTV, as well as ESPN+.
The price has long been expected to total more than a consumer would pay for a standalone regional sports network, which costs $20 to $30 per month, and less than a larger digital programming package such as Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV, which cost around $75 to $80 per month.
The companies will a seven-day free trial to those who sign up for the service. Customers will be guaranteed the initial monthly rate for a year from time of sign up, with an ability to cancel at any time.
The three companies have been working to build the site’s technology and consumer experience in recent months, but the launch of Venu remains subject to regulatory approvals and the finalization of definitive agreements amongst the parties. The companies envision making the service available via an app, but also expect to distribute it in bundles that could involve Disney+, Hulu or Max
