DirecTV is upping its sports content with the launch of MySports, a new genre package in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, Fox and Disney, now that Venu is off the table.
The offering is currently available in 24 metro areas with more planned to come out in the future and includes access to 40 sports and broadcast channels, at a price point of $70.
This announcement comes just days after Disney, WBD and Fox officially shuttered their combined streaming sports joint venture, Venu. Last week, the trio settled their antitrust litigation with Fubo over concerns of the now-axed streaming service’s anticompetitive nature when Disney combined Fubo into Hulu + Live TV (with additional plans for another sports streamer to come).
“Warner Bros. Discovery is pleased to partner with DirecTV on its newly announced genre package as part of a new, multi-year agreement for WBD’s full portfolio of networks,” a WBD spokesperson told TheWrap on Tuesday. “We look forward to sharing additional information in the coming weeks. With this deal complete, WBD has successfully closed agreements with the Top 3 distributors in the United States.”
MySports will feature content from ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Golf Channel, MLB Network, NBA TV, NFL Network, NHL Network, SEC Network, TBS, TNT, TruTV and USA Network — as well as local channels through ABC, Fox and NBC.
Additional networks, local stations and ESPN+ will be included at a later date. CBS affiliates and Paramount are notably not part of the deal.
“The introduction of MySports from DirecTV delivers consumers greater choice, flexibility and control to select the type of content they want to watch at the right value,” CEO Bill Morrow said in a Tuesday statement. “This is the first of several genre-based options we plan to launch over the coming months on our path towards a brighter TV future for consumers.”
On Thursday, DirecTV responded to the loss of Venu in another statement to TheWrap: “DirecTV remains a leader in sports, and we look forward to working with our programming partners — including Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery — to compete on a level playing field to deliver sports fans more choice, control, and value all-in-one experience.”
Venu was initially intended to launch at $42.99 per month last fall, but Fubo’s preliminary injunction blocked that from happening. It would have featured content from 15 sports channels and from all the major sports leagues and top college conferences.
