Discovery Global announces new TNT Sports streaming service
Discovery Global announces new TNT Sports streaming service
Head of Discovery Global Gunnar Wiedenfels shared the first details about the new streamer last week.
Warner Bros. Discovery is continuing to take steps to evolve. The company is already gearing up for a spin off of its cable channels that will result in the existence of two separate firms: Warner Bros., which will include the movie studio and HBO Max, and Discovery Global, which will house WBD’s assortment of cable networks. There will be streaming on the Discovery Global side of the equation, too; not only will it continue to be responsible for discovery+, but it plans to launch a new streaming service focused on TNT Sports content as well.
Key Details:
- Call to action: The announcement of the new sports streamer was made during WBD’s second quarter earnings call.
- Bundled up: The new service will be available in bundles with HBO Max and discovery+.
- Venu reborn: Customers will be able to recreate the Venu Sports joint venture using this sports streamer.
The news of a new TNT Sports-centric streaming service was first shared during WBD’s conference call with analysts to discuss its second quarter earnings. Gunnar Wiedenfels, who will run Discovery Global when the split is complete, revealed plans for the service while answering a question about whether or not any efforts would be made to sublicense its sports rights.
“I don’t think there is a need to sublicense,” Wiedenfels said. “In fact, [[TNT Sports CEO] Luis [Silberwasser] and the team are working hard on developing the go-to-market approach to utilize our streaming rights going forward. And the broad strokes are. It’s going to be a stand-alone product that we will be able to take direct to the consumer, but also bundle with HBO Max, with Discovery Plus, potentially third parties.”
Wiedenfels did not share any further details about the forthcoming service. including the price, a prospective launch date, or what kind of features it will offer. Still, the news that Discovery Global is launching a new streamer at all provides more insight into what the future of this half of the broken-up WBD, and how streaming will not simply be the province of Warner Bros. once the split is complete.
The potential for bundle opportunities for the new TNT Sports streaming service with HBO Max and discovery+ is obvious, but it would hardly be a surprise to see Discovery Global reach out to ESPN and Fox about a partnership with their streaming services as well. The two are both launching new streamers that will include all of the companies’ live sports rights on Aug. 21, and will bundle those services together for $40 per month. Patching the new TNT Sports service on top of that bundle would essentially be a recreation of Venu Sports, the joint venture service between Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery that was announced, but never came to fruition due to legal action.
Continued access to live sports previously only found in the cable bundle seems to be a key goal of many streamers these days. WBD may be going through a seismic corporate regression, but it’s clear that it’s already thinking about ways to deliver its content to viewers once that split is complete.
HBO Max
HBO Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library and exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Within HBO Max, B/R Sports allows users to watch live NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.