Hulu goes global, other streaming stories you missed this week
Hulu goes global, other streaming stories you missed this week
The WNBA has reworked its deal with a major broadcast partner, ‘Veronica Mars’ joins a free streamer, and other stories from the week’s news.
Is it just me, or did all of tarnation break loose this week in the TV carriage deal world? Several high-profile carriage agreements expired on Oct. 1, including Univision's deal with YouTube TV, as well as the pact between Monumental Sports Network, YouTube TV, and Hulu + Live TV. Those led to blackouts, and it could have been worse; Comcast and YouTube TV made a short-term deal to keep NBC and other channels on the streamer while they work toward a new deal.
It was a lot to keep up with for even the most avid consumer of streaming news, and more than one story from the week’s news probably slipped through the cracks for many. We’ve got a collection of the most important streaming stories you might have missed this week here!
Which streaming stories did you miss this week?
Hulu brand to expand internationally, replacing Star
Hulu’s content has been available outside the United States for many years, but Disney has marketed that content under the Star brand internationally under previous ownership arrangements. But now that Disney owns 100% of Hulu outright, it can take the brand global, and it announced on Thursday that it planned to do just that.
Starting Oct. 8, Hulu branding will replace Star on Disney+ globally. The change will make it easier to access Hulu content on Disney+, and is the next step toward a unification of Disney+ and Hulu on a single app, which is coming in 2026. The standalone Hulu app may be going away in the future, but the Hulu brand isn’t going anywhere; in fact, it’s expanding to a whole new audience. Viewers will also get more personalized recommendations, an updated home page that reflects the brand switch, and simpler navigation with a new nav bar at the top of the page on the Disney+ app.
Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”
USA Network scores WNBA Finals
The spin-off company Versant, which will control USA Network and other cable networks formerly owned by Comcast, has made a key deal with a top sports league. As announced by the WNBA on Tuesday, USA Network will get a portion of the WNBA games left over after signing its landmark media deal in 2024.
USA Network will get at least 50 WNBA games every season, and Wednesday night doubleheaders will be its highlight. The channel will also get the rights to air games during three of the next 11 WNBA finals, along with select other playoff games. NBC and Peacock are still expected to keep all of the games agreed to as part of the initial contract; USA Network’s games come from the additional inventory left from the WNBA’s 2024 deals with ESPN, NBC, and Prime Video.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $25 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| USA Network | + $24 | - | + $61 | - | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
The CW announces 2026 tour schedule with PBA
The Pro Bowler’s Association makes its TV home on The CW starting next year, and there’s a wide range of PBA events coming to the channel in 2026. On Wednesday, the PBA announced that “PBA Championship Sundays on The CW” will deliver 20 hours of professional bowling coverage on The CW, spread across 10 consecutive Sunday afternoons, starting at 4 p.m. ET. That starts with the PBA Players Championship on Feb. 22, and continues through April 26.
“Our partnership with The CW reflects the future of bowling as both a competitive sport and an evolving entertainment experience,” President of Lucky Strike Entertainment Lev Ekster said. “By uniting with The CW’s growing sports lineup, we’re bringing the energy of the PBA Tour into homes across the country every week. Championship Sundays will be a destination event for fans to follow the game’s biggest moments.”
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $25 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| The CW | + $39 | + $59 | + $60 | - | - | - | - | - | ✓ | |
Apple TV+ extends partnership with ‘Peanuts’ until 2030
Peanuts specials like “It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” have become staples of holiday programming in the U.S. Each year, families gather around their sets to enjoy these titles as a true sign that the holidays have begun.
These specials have streamed on Apple TV+ since 2020, and the partnership is being extended. As announced on Wednesday, Apple TV+ will be the exclusive home of Peanuts content until 2030, including plans for more original series and specials featuring Snoopy and the gang.
“In this milestone 75th anniversary year, it feels incredibly meaningful to continue our collaboration with our brilliant partners at WildBrain, Peanuts Worldwide and Lee Mendelson,” Apple TV+ exec Tara Sorensen said. “Our commitment, dedication and passion for Peanuts runs deep. These beloved characters and stories hold a timeless significance, resonating with people of all ages across the globe. And we are delighted that the iconic holiday specials will be available for everyone to experience, continuing this time-honored, comforting tradition.”
Apple TV
Apple TV (formerly known as Apple TV+) is a subscription video streaming service for $14.99 per month, offering a growing slate of original series, films, documentaries, and specials. Unlike other platforms that combine licensed titles with originals, Apple TV is built entirely around exclusive programming, making it the home of critically acclaimed hits such as “Ted Lasso,” “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” and “Silo.” Its lineup continues to expand with award-winning dramas, comedies, family-friendly shows, and blockbuster original films like “CODA,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
FanDuel to be exclusive odds provider for NBA, WNBA on Prime Video
On Tuesday, Prime Video announced several features for upcoming NBA broadcasts. The 2025-26 NBA season will be Prime Video’s first as an NBA partner in the United States, and one of the enhancements it’s unveiling for NBA broadcasts is a betting integration with FanDuel that will help viewers track odds and bets live during streams of games.
With that being the case, it would make sense that FanDuel would be the exclusive partner of Amazon for providing betting odds for NBA and WNBA games on Prime Video. The two made that partnership official on Tuesday, in a unified release that shows their excitement for the upcoming season.
“Our partnership as the official odds provider for NBA and WNBA on Prime Video represents a significant milestone in how we connect with basketball fans,” FanDuel president of sports Mike Raffensperger said. “By integrating custom content into Prime Video’s NBA broadcasts, we will enhance the fan viewing experience and connect with new audiences.”
Prime Video
Prime Video is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 10,000+ movies, TV shows, and Prime Originals like “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” “Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” and more. Subscribers can also add third-party services like Max, Showtime, STARZ, and dozens more with Prime Video Channels. Prime Video also offers exclusive live access to NFL Thursday Night Football.
‘Veronica Mars’ to stream exclusively on Plex
Plex is a lot more than a free streaming service, but it does provide a great selection of ad-supported TV episodes and movies that viewers can stream at no cost. It’s getting a big new addition to that library; as announced on Wednesday, Plex will become the exclusive home of “Veronica Mars,” which first debuted in 2004 and became a cult classic, as well as a breakout for star Kristen Bell. The show stars Bell as a 17-year-old apprentice private detective, who takes it upon herself to solve her seaside town’s biggest mysteries.
“Veronica Mars is one of the most beloved shows in the past 30 years of television, with a wide audience of fans, an all-star cast led by Kristen Bell, who is currently one of the most popular actresses in the world, and with an avid fanbase of ‘Marshmallows,’ continuing to celebrate it,’” Plex executive Shawn Eldridge said. “We have always been proud of our long-standing partnership with Warner Bros. and are particularly excited to bring Veronica Mars to our Plex audience and to fans everywhere to fall in love with it all over again or discover it for the first time — for free, on Plex.”
Plex
Plex is a free streaming service that includes on-demand access to 50,000+ movies and TV shows. The service also offers 1,100+ free-to-stream live TV channels in 193 countries. Users can also connect Plex to their computers to stream and share any media they have on their hard drives.