Hot on the heels of the upcoming Disney+, Hulu, Max bundle due out this summer, another streaming collaboration is on the way. And the new Venu Sports streaming service is a joint venture between the same players.
With the failure of Vidgo (which was never very good), the price hikes of Fubo, and the continued mediocrity of DAZN, this is one streaming service that actually makes sense.
But it’s also a hotbed for disappointment.
Here’s all we know about the latest live sports streaming service soon to (possibly) be released.
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What is Venu Sports?
Venu Sports is an upcoming streaming service that focuses on live sports.
The newly built streaming platform is a joint venture between ESPN (a subsidiary Disney), FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery. It merges all of their “sports networks and ESPN+—including content from all the major professional sports leagues and college sports.” (WBD Press)
According to the marketing collateral, the wholly-new streaming service is being built from the ground up with the latest technologies. That means they didn’t just go buy the remains of Vidgo and slap a new name on it.
“An all-new streaming home where sports fans outside of the traditional pay TV eco-system can experience an incredible collection of live sports, all in one place.”
Pete Distad, Venu Sports CEO
Considering the poor state of streaming live sports thus far, the bar is pretty low. But we’re still setting our expectations very high with a such a bold statement from Venu Sports.
How much will Venu sports cost?
Specific Venu Sports price plans have not been released yet. But it’s safe to assume that Venu pricing will be a lot higher than ESPN+ ($10.99/month) and closer to—or higher than—DAZN, which is $29.99/month after its latest price hikes.
One thing that is confirmed is that there will be a “mega bundle” option that combines the upcoming Disney-Hulu-Max bundle with the Venu Sports streaming service.
The prices for the Disney+, Hulu, Max bundle have not been released yet, but we guess $16.99 and $29.99 for the ad-supported and ad-free plans, respectively.
Based on our DHM Bundle prediction, if Venu costs the same as DAZN’s monthly price, an ad-free bundle of Disney+, Hulu, Max, and Venu Sports would cost $59.99/month.
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When is Venu Sports launching?
The new Venu Sports streaming service is scheduled to launch in Fall 2024.
Even though the Venu Sports website promises to be “The New Home For Football”—along as the home of all other major sports—a Fall launch means it won’t be up and running for the NFL preseason.
And if “Fall” actually means after the fall equinox—which is September 22, 2024—Venu Sports will miss the first few weeks of the NFL’s regular season as well.
Furthermore, the Venu Sports streaming service launch still needs the government to drop the puck, so to speak. The fledgling website doesn’t have a lot of info, but it does have this:
Launch is conditional on receiving regulatory approval and is expected for Fall 2024.
Where will Venu Sports be available?
Venu Sports is launching solely in the United States.
No official roadmap has been released about expanding the Venu Sports streaming service into other markets like Canada, Mexico, the UK, or beyond. But if it aims to go up against DAZN, we can expect to see it venture forth at some point.
Final thoughts on the new Venu Sports Streaming Service
Watching live sports without cable or satellite has been one of the most challenging aspects of cutting the cord. Streaming live sports is spread across numerous platforms and streaming services may even hold exclusive rights to the sport, event, or game.
If you want to watch Thursday Night Football without cable, you need Prime Video or official NFL subscriptions. If you want Friday Night Baseball, you need Apple TV+. To watch the NFL playoffs without cable, you need to make sure you’ve got all the right subscriptions.
A one-stop shop for live sports is a wonderful thought—and DAZN could definitely use some competition—but it’s unlikely that Venu Sports will be that. There are too many exclusive deals in place in the quagmire of live sports broadcasting.
But if it can be a better version of DAZN—at a good price, of course—then that’ll be worth it.
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