Venu Sports, a streaming service created by Fox, Disney, and Warner Bros Discovery, is set to launch in the fall with a price tag of $42.99. This service is aimed at attracting younger viewers who have cut the cord with cable by offering 14 live sports channels with rights to major sporting events such as the NFL, MLB, NHL, college sports, and the FIFA World Cup. Venu CEO Pete Distad described it as a single destination for watching sought-after games and events.
The service will offer access to marquee events like the NBA Finals, World Series, Stanley Cup finals, College Football Playoffs, March Madness, portions of the Masters Tournament and tennis’ grand slam events, as well as two of the next three Super Bowls. It will also include on-demand programs from ESPN+ and archives of other sports networks. Venu is expected to hold more than half of all sports rights, according to a Citi analysis cited by the Wall Street Journal.
Considering the $42.99 price tag, some may find Venu to be expensive compared to other streaming services like Peacock, Paramount, Prime Video, or Apple TV, which also offer live sports content. However, it is still more affordable than cable subscriptions that can cost over $100 a month or the $73 monthly fee for YouTube TV, although these options do include sports programming from NBC and CBS with coveted NFL games.
When Venu launches, it will be offering a seven-day free trial for potential customers. Those who sign up at the initial price will be able to continue streaming at that rate for 12 months. Former Apple executive Pete Distad, who is leading Venu, aims to attract 5 million subscribers within the first five years. He sees Venu as a service built for fans who want seamless access to their favorite sports and believes the pricing will be appealing to those who have not found suitable options in existing pay TV packages.
The service will be available through a standalone app, and subscribers will have the option to bundle Venu with Disney+, Hulu, or Max. This move is part of Fox’s efforts to cater to the changing media landscape and appeal to viewers who prefer streaming services over traditional cable packages. Fox shares common ownership with News Corp, the parent company of The Post. Overall, Venu Sports is positioning itself as a comprehensive streaming platform for sports fans, offering a wide range of live events and on-demand content at a competitive price point.
