The new sports streaming service that pushes to join Disney-ESPN, Fox Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery game coverage, Venu Sports, has revealed the price consumers can expect to pay for using the network. According to Deadline, Venu Sports will cost $42.99 a month in fall 2024, when the service is expected to launch.
The Venu Sports streaming network is aimed at merging 14 sports-centric networks to rival full sports cable subscriptions, creating a space for sports to come together. Venu Sports CEO Pete Distad added that “sports fans outside of the traditional pay TV eco-system can experience an incredible collection of live sports, all in one place [with Venu Sports]…using the latest technologies to engage and entertain discerning sports fans wanting one-stop access to live games,” via mxdwn.
According to Deadline, “linear networks offered via Venu include ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ABC, FOX, FS1, FS2, BTN, TNT, TBS and truTV. Programming from ESPN+ and on-demand fare from all three partners are also part of the offering.”
The CEO of Fox Corporation, Lachlan Murdoch (Cheaters, Murdoch Mysteries), shared company predictions that the service will receive five million subscribers in its first five years via Deadline to merge sports the way Venu Sports plans to might be ambitious. Deadline continued, “The JV member companies are pushing forward with the stand-alone offering while continuing to look for increased distribution fees from their pay-TV partners. That balancing act has been complicated at times, as Disney discovered during its showdown with Charter Communications last year, when ESPN programming like college football and U.S. Open tennis was affected by a carriage fight.”
Deadline reports that Venu Sports also faces risks if Warner Bros. Discovery does not continue to acquire the rights to the NBA after the 2024-2025 season. Warner Bros. Discovery took action to sue the NBA, urging that they had contractual rights to match Amazon’s bidding offer for rights continuing after the 2025 season, following the league’s announcement of their $77 billion rights deal for over 11 years with NBCUniversal, Amazon and Disney.
According to Deadline, “Regardless of the NBA outcome, avid sports fans will need more than Venu to keep current. NBCU and Paramount Global are not part of the venture, which leaves out a large swath of NFL, college sports, soccer, golf and other top draws.”
While Venu Sports competes to unite the sports-watching experience, its success will be known only after its launch. As per Deadline, Venu Sports will offer a seven-day free trial when signing up.