Max Won’t Make Bleacher Report Sports Add-On Paid Feature in March; What It Means for March Madness, NBA and NHL Playoffs
Max Won’t Make Bleacher Report Sports Add-On Paid Feature in March; What It Means for March Madness, NBA and NHL Playoffs
Cord-cutting hoops fans, you might have just gotten a reprieve from having to shell out some extra bucks to catch all of the basketball action this spring. When Warner Bros. Discovery first announced the creation of the Bleacher Report (B/R) Sports Add-On last September, the plan was always to have the new content tier be free on Max through February, but once March hit, charge $9.99 for sports fans to be able to watch all of the sports programming from across WBD’s network as well as Max exclusive events. However, it now appears that the switch to a paid service will have to wait as the company deals with tech integration issues.
- The B/R Sports Add-On was originally slated to become a paid tier on Max at the start of March.
- Techn issues have forced the delay of the launch until a date later this year.
- That means that WBD’s coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, NBA Playoffs, and Stanley Cup Playoffs will remain free to Max subscribers.
Why Is Max Keeping the B/R Sports Add-On Free for Longer?
After almost three months of seemingly issue-free sports streaming, WBD put the breaks on its plans to transition the B/R Sports Add-On to a strictly paid service at the end of next month. Apparently, there are still issues on the platform’s side when it comes to fully incorporating all aspects of the technological transition.
“The B/R Sports Add-On will continue to be made available to Max subscribers on us for a few more months as we finalize some tech integrations that will ensure a more seamless customer experience with our platform partners,” a WBD spokesperson told Deadline in an exclusive statement. “We’ve seen great engagement with live sports on Max so far and look forward to continuing to delight fans with upcoming premium sports events like March Madness, the NBA, and NHL.”
The company did not confirm how long the detail will be, but Deadline’s report indicated that it would not happen until “several months from now.” With a delay that significant, it would lead onlookers to the assumption that despite statements to the contrary, something is not going according to plan behind the scenes. Perhaps the technological integrations are more complex than WBD is letting on, or it could be that the engagement has not yet reached levels that have convinced the company that audiences are willing to pay for the product.
Warner Bros. Discovery’s biggest season of sports coverage is in the spring, which is why the initial announcement to transition the B/R add-on to a paid service in March made sense. If there was any way for Max properly optimize and monetize that move, there is no doubt that they would be doing it.
What Sport Major Sporting Events Will Customers Be Able to Stream for Free on the B/R Sports Add-On This Spring?
So, with the Bleacher Report Sports Add-On now likely remaining free into the summer months, that means the best sports content on TBS and TNT is now going to be available at no additional charge for Max subscribers. That starts with the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Again this year, WBD will share the broadcast rights for the men’s March Madness with CBS. Games will air on TBS, TNT, and truTV.
What makes the B/R add-on development even more intriguing is that TBS is scheduled to air the Final Four and National Championship Game this season. A subscription to Max and the B/R Sports Add-On already would have been the cheapest way to watch the tournament all the way through the title game, but now that the sports pack won’t cost extra, it is an even more attractive option for sports-loving cord-cutters.
On the heels of the Big Dance, TBS will begin broadcasting the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs while TNT will begin airing the NBA Playoffs. Both of those postseasons will kick off in mid-April, presumably still within the free B/R period. However, unlike with March Madness, the Turner Networks will not be broadcasting the finals this season. On the hockey side, ABC and ESPN will carry the Stanley Cup Finals while ABC will have the NBA Finals; both will happen in June.
Additionally, TBS will begin carrying Major League Baseball games on Tuesday nights when the season starts.
Of course, there is no guarantee that Warner Bros. Discovery will keep the Bleacher Report Sports Add-On free throughout the NBA and NHL playoffs, as Max could transition the package to a paid tier at any point. However, if that is not going to happen as scheduled in March, it would seem unlikely that it would make the move once the playoffs began. So, if you are a sports fan that is getting rid of your live TV streaming service following the football season, then getting a Max subscription might just be your best bet.
Max
Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library, along with 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. Thanks to the B/R Sports add-on, users can watch NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.