In efforts to gain a competitive edge in the streaming world, Warner Bros. Discovery is launching Max, its freshly rebranded service that merges content from HBO Max and Discovery Plus. In addition to offering a slate of new and existing titles from Warner, HBO and Discovery, the company is teasing a plan to add live sports — and news — to the streaming platform in the future.
CEO David Zaslav shared the news during the media company’s virtual press event on Wednesday. He said that Warner Bros. Discovery would disclose details in a few months. “We’re a global leader in sports. And we’re a global leader in news,” said Zaslav. “And in a few months, we’ll come back to you with details of our attack plan to use this important and differentiating live content to grow our streaming business even further.”
US men’s and women’s soccer has been the only live sports offering on HBO Max, while Discovery Plus has streamed athletic events across sports like cycling, boxing, swimming, figure skating and wrestling. However, Warner Bros. Discovery’s portfolio includes ownership of TNT and TBS, which air content from the NHL, the NBA and MLB.
Spreading its live sports coverage to the Max streaming platform could potentially attract new subscribers who want to watch as much as they can on a single service. With subscription plans ranging from $10 to $20 per month, Max may sound appealing if the content lines up with fans. The service will roll out to US customers on May 23.
Competition for streaming sports content is growing. Apple TV Plus offers Major League Soccer and Friday Night Baseball from MLB. YouTube TV just acquired the NFL’s Sunday Night Ticket, and streamers like Prime Video and Paramount Plus also offer access to live NFL games.
