YouTube TV adding NBC Sports Network before other distributors
YouTube TV adding NBC Sports Network before other distributors
The channel will offer content that previously was exclusive to Peacock.
NBCUniversal is making what might seem to be a pretty backwards move. At a time when most companies — including NBCU’s parent company Comcast — are spinning off cable channels and trying to figure out how to make streaming services their main revenue generators, NBCU is launching a new cable sports channel. On Thursday, it was announced that this revival of the formerly defunct NBC Sports Network would be launching on YouTube TV before other distributors.
Key Details:
- Monday arrival: The new NBC Sports Network will hit YouTube TV on Nov. 17.
- Part of the deal?: The early launch of NBCSN on YouTube TV may have been part of the recent carriage deal between the two.
- Peacock to TV: Much of the programming on the new NBCSN is sourced from Peacock.
NBCU announced on Thursday that the new NBCSN would arrive on YouTube TV on Monday, Nov. 17. The channel will roll out on Xfinity cable channel packages owned by NBCU’s parent company Comcast “soon,” and other pay-TV distributors will be added at a later date.
NBCU and YouTube TV reached a new carriage deal at the start of October, and that agreement may have included a provision allowing for an early launch of NBC Sports Network on the live TV streaming service. With over 10 million subscribers, YouTube TV has leverage that few other distributors can boast when asking for special privileges during carriage negotiations.
NBC Sports Network will offer an extensive lineup of sporting events that are also available to stream on Peacock. Word that Comcast was thinking about reviving the channel first circulated this summer, and it didn’t take long for the company to put the new network together.
Events available on NBC Sports Network will include Monday night NBA games, as well as playoff games from that league. The channel will also have MLB contests, English Premier League soccer, the “Gold Zone” whip-around show for February’s Winter Olympics, WNBA games, Big Ten and Notre Dame football, and more.
“NBCUniversal delivers the biggest moments in sports, and the new NBC Sports Network gives pay-tv customers a seamless way to enjoy the wide range of sports in our portfolio, adding an important pillar in our linear and streaming strategy,” NBCU executive Matt Schnaars said. “NBCSN is a win across the board – driving value for fans and distributors who prefer an aggregated experience, league and conference partners seeking broad reach, and advertisers targeting engaged sports audiences – while also creating a new monetization path for some of our most premium programming and supporting NBCU’s commitment to serving viewers wherever they watch, whether on Peacock, pay TV, or both.”
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” “The Office,” and original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports and NBC programming, including the NFL, MLB, WWE, the Olympics, the Premier League, NASCAR, the French Open, college football and basketball, and the PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.