This week, Max has new Bleacher Report add-on pricing plans; celebrate the Oscars
This week, Max has new Bleacher Report add-on pricing plans; celebrate the Oscars
The sports add-on, which was previously free for all Max subscribers, will now be pay-to-watch at certain tiers.
This week, as media companies and leagues play musical chairs over future sports rights, including last week’s MLB-ESPN split, Max is shaking up its plans for its live Bleacher Report sports add-on.
Plus, Hollywood’s biggest night is here: the 2025 Oscars take place this Sunday night. Find out how to stream the ceremony (and where to catch up on the nominees)!
This Week’s Biggest Streaming News:
Max scraps plans to charge all subscribers for Bleacher Report, but some will pay
While Max has been holding onto plans to charge its subscribers for its Bleacher Report (B/R) sports add-on, the streamer is reversing the call on the field— at least for some subscribers.
On Wednesday, Warner Bros. Discovery announced it would be pivoting on plans to begin charging subscribers extra for its B/R sports add-on. Max introduced the tier in October 2023, initially giving Max subscribers at any tier free access to over 1,700 live sporting events and allowing cordcutters coverage to live MLB, NHL, college football, college basketball, NASCAR, and more sporting events otherwise only available on WBD’s channels, TBS and TNT.
The plan initially was to make the B/R Sports Add-On an additional charge for all of Max subscribers beginning in February 2024, but those plans hit a roadblock due to partner negotiations, and WBD pledged to hold off on its plans for the B/R tier.
Now, the add-on will continue to be free for subscribers on Max’s two ad-free tiers: the $17 monthly ad-free Premium plan and the $21 monthly Ultimate ad-free plan. Max subscribers who are currently on the $10 per month ad-supported Standard plan will need to upgrade to one of the two additional plans to get or retain B/R access.
The sports add-on is not the only subscription charge that will change, though, and on March 30, the platform’s CNN Max, which provides access to live and on-demand news programming from CNN, will also only be available on the ad-free levels.
The loss of B/R Sports and CNN Max is sure to upset some free subscribers who might not have the desire or means to upgrade to a more expensive plan at the moment, but that’s unlikely to bother WBD, which just announced a 6.4 million subscriber increase and a $409 million profit in its fourth quarter.
Catch up on our stories related to Max’s Bleacher Report and CNN Max add-on plans:
- Max won’t charge for sports add-on, but makes it ad-free tier exclusive
- Max adds 6.4M global customers in Q4 2024
- Max Hoping to Finally Charge for Sports Tier Next Month, but There Are Roadblocks
- Max Won’t Make Bleacher Report Sports Add-On Paid Feature in March; What It Means for March Madness, NBA and NHL Playoffs
- CNN Max Hub Launches Today; Everything You Need to Know
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.
Stream this weekend: watch the Oscar nominees and ceremony
Filmmakers and fans, the big day is almost here: this Sunday, March 2, is the 97th Academy Awards, celebrating the year’s biggest and best movies, including “Wicked,” “The Substance,” “The Brutalist,” “Emilia Pérez,” and more.
The red carpet is rolled out and ready, and now the only thing to do is to get through your watchlist ahead of the industry’s biggest night. “Wicked” doesn’t begin streaming until later in the month on March 21, but many of this year’s other nominees are currently available on VOD or SVOD, including the divisive Netflix musical “Emilia Pérez,” which leads the pack with 13 noms. If you’ve got access to one or more streaming platforms, you should be able to cross at least a few more nominees, like “Conclave,” “The Substance,” and “Inside Out 2,” off your list.
Relsted: Here’s how to stream the 2025 Oscar nominees!
Once you’re caught up and ready to go, it’s time for the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday night! This year’s ceremony will be hosted by former talk show host/current podcast host and star of Max’s Emmy-winning “Conan O’Brien Must Go.” Following all of the red carpet interviews and pre-show festivities, the awards ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT.
If you don’t have a way to watch ABC, don’t worry: the Oscars will also stream live on Hulu on all plans. Hulu subscribers will also be able to stream the ceremony on-demand the next day.
Whichever way you watch it, it will only cost you $10 for a month of Hulu, and if you haven’t already signed up for the service, you can get a 30-day free trial and watch this year’s Oscars free!
Hulu
Hulu is a video streaming service that gives access to thousands of full seasons of exclusive series, hit movies, kids shows, and Hulu Originals like “Only Murders in the Building,” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.”