Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery are forming a joint venture as the three companies have revealed their new Venu streaming service. The platform will reportedly be pronounced “venue” and will focus exclusively on offering live sports.
Variety says it will combine content from ESPN Plus and live events from several of the three companies' “linear television networks.” This includes, but is not limited to, ABC, ESPN2, FS1, TNT and TBS. If you look at the initial partnership announcement from February, you'll see everything Venu will offer at launch. Professional football, baseball, basketball and even Formula 1 racing are on the table.
There are still many things we don't know about the service. Presumably, it will have a back catalog of previous games available on demand. Also, no one knows when it will be released. The companies are targeting a launch in fall 2024, when it will be available as a standalone app, although this could change.
If you visit the platform's official website, you will see a notice at the bottom stating that “launch is conditional on receiving regulatory approval.” This means they are waiting for the US government to give them the green light before moving forward.
unknown details
Pricing is unknown at this time, as all three brands say they will reveal this information later…probably closer to launch. However, that hasn't stopped industry experts from making predictions.
According to Deadline, “most Wall Street analysts and industry observers” predict that Venu “will cost at least $40 a month.” Interested audiences can also purchase the service in a bundle that may include Disney Plus, Hulu, or Max, which could drive prices up even further.
Live sports seem to be the new frontier for streaming services. Netflix recently announced that it will stream NFL games on Christmas Day for the next three years. NBCUniversal has exclusive rights to broadcast the 2024 Paris Olympics “with coverage that will likely extend nationwide.” [its streaming platform] Peacock TV” and its linear channels.
It will be interesting to see if viewers are willing to leave established services behind for these new avenues. There is a possibility that this is the case due to how more affordable Venu could be. YouTube TV, for example, offers live sports and costs $72.99 a month or $57.99 if you're a new user.
For sports fans, be sure to check out TechRadar's best TV for 2024 if you want to enjoy the upcoming games in the highest quality possible.
