VIZIO Updates Smart TV Interface With New Sports Hub
VIZIO Updates Smart TV Interface With New Sports Hub
It can be more confusing than ever to know where a given sports event is streaming, but VIZIO wants to take out the guesswork.
VIZIO is well aware of the challenges many viewers experience when trying to find a popular sports event on TV. A recent survey found that 59% of audiences said that watching sports is confusing because of the various channels and streaming services that now host games, and VIZIO wants to help cut down on that confusion. On Tuesday, the company announced that it was launching the new VIZIO Sports Zone hub on its smart TV interfaces, which will allow viewers to see sporting events from across the top leagues in the country.
Key Details:
- The VIZIO Sports Zone will show events from the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAA conferences and more.
- Streaming and channel options for each event will be displayed in the hub.
- Users can add events to their watchlists so they never miss a favorite team’s next game.
The new VIZIO Sports Zone is rolling out to VIZIO smart TVs starting this week in time for the NFL season to kick off on Thursday. It merges live broadcasts with on-demand content from multiple apps into a single, easy-to-navigate space so that fans never have to ask where their favorite team is playing on a given day.
“Just in time for the exciting fall sports season, VIZIO Sports Zone takes the VIZIO home entertainment experience to the next level – making it easier for fans to find their favorite teams and the most exciting games each day directly on the TV,” Vizio’s Steve Yum said. “We’re thrilled to introduce this new feature to VIZIO Smart TV users.”
What Sports Are Available on VIZIO Sports Zone?
The VIZIO Sports Zone will offer games from the NFL, NCAA Football, MLB, NBA, NHL, WNBA, and NCAA men’s and women’s basketball. It will show viewers which outlets these games are available on, be they streaming exclusives or linear channels like ESPN or FS1.
If viewers want to save a game or event, VIZIO’s Sports Zone will make the process easy. By saving upcoming events to their personal watchlists, viewers will ensure they can see their favorite teams and events either through a dedicated row in the Sports Zone hub or in the My Watchlist row of the VIZIO smart TV home screen.
Other outlets have made similar moves in an effort to cut down on fan confusion before the fall sports season begins. ESPN recently updated its “Where to Watch” guide with new channel and streaming partners, and Roku — North America’s largest streaming operating system — unveiled a sports hub similar to VIZIO’s Sports Zone in 2022.
VIZIO also offers buyers of its smart TVs access to the VIZIO WatchFree+ streaming service, which has more than 300 live channels and over 20,000 on-demand titles that span movies, news, sports, music, kids and family, reality, and more with no monthly fees.
VIZIO WatchFree+
WatchFree+ is VIZIO’s free streaming service, available on its SmartCast TVs. There are 260+ free channels and 6,000 titles on demand, providing immediate access to live and local programming and a wide library ranging from thousands of movies, news, sports, music, kids & family, multicultural, and more. Top channels include CNN, FOX Sports, Hallmark, ION Plus, LEGO Channel, MLB, NBC News Now, and Stories by AMC.