ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery announced in February that they would jointly launch a sports-focused streaming service, and today they shared some pertinent details. Subscriptions to the Venu service will cost $43 per month. The platform will have three broad categories of content: live games and events, on-demand sports programming and talk content such as studio shows. Venu will launch at an unspecified date this fall.
Linear networks included on Venu include ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ABC, FOX, FS1, FS2, BTN, TNT, TBS, truTV and ESPN+. Viewers will have access to many major events in the world of athletics. Major League Baseball’s World Series, all four tennis Grand Slams, the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup Finals and a wide variety of college sports will be represented on Venu’s programming.
When people sign up for the introductory price, that monthly cost will be locked in for twelve months. Given how often we see prices go up across the streaming landscape, it's safe to assume that $43 won't be the rate indefinitely.
Today, watching sports is a fragmented and expensive activity. Different leagues may have broadcast rights deals with multiple different networks and streaming platforms, meaning fans must carefully check where to find their favorite teams each night. Having so many providers together under one umbrella would streamline the experience, especially for people who like to follow multiple sports. But the joint effort has drawn criticism after the initial announcement, claiming the new streaming package would violate antitrust practices.
