Advanced Television

Fubo scores slew of channel deals

December 15, 2016

Streaming pay-TV service fuboTV (fubo.tv), which aims to provide the world’s best sports and entertainment programming, is more than doubling its national channel line-up following affiliate agreements with Fox Networks Group, NBCUniversal, A+E Networks, Crown Media Family Networks, Fuse Media, NBA TV and The Weather Channel.

This will result in the launch of a new version of the linear over-the-top (OTT) distributor, with upgraded back-end technology, new viewer features, and access to more than 70 channels – including national broadcast and cable networks, regional sports networks (RSNs), and local broadcast stations owned-and-operated by these new partners.

Beginning in the coming weeks with a Beta launch of the service, new Fubo subscribers will have access to networks that hold the rights to the world’s most popular sports, at an introductory, discounted rate of $34.99 per month. Fubo users in the US will soon have the ability to watch live events from all of the major American professional and college sports, as well as international leagues and tournaments – including live baseball, basketball, boxing, cricket, cycling, football, golf, hockey, horse racing, mixed martial arts, motorsports, professional wrestling, rugby, tennis – with an expanding line-up of more soccer than any streaming service.  Additionally, a full array of live and video on demand (VoD) entertainment programming from the new networks will also be available to subscribers.

While in Beta, the new Fubo – available to be streamed online, via mobile or Internet-connected/OTT device – will include features such as cross-platform DVR, VoD, in-browser streaming and digital TV guide navigation. Additional features will then be introduced in the coming months, such as programming look back and start over, access to 25+ TV Everywhere authenticated apps, personalisation and user profiles.

Channels with sports programming being added for Beta subscribers in the coming weeks will include FOX, NBC and Telemundo owned broadcast stations; RSNs from FOX Sports and NBC Sports; plus national networks BTN, FS1, FS2, FOX College Sports, FOX Deportes, Golf Channel, NBA TV, NBCSN, NBC Universo, Universal HD, and more.  The Fubo line-up will also include channels that are typically only available via expanded pay-TV tiers – such as FOX Soccer Plus – which along with the above channels and its existing line-up, make Fubo’s entry tier the most comprehensive bundle of sports networks in the OTT space.  A full list of channels, and the sports which they carry, can be seen on this chart.

“Today’s announcement underscores our commitment to our subscribers to deliver a robust line-up of premium sports and entertainment, from the finest media brands in the world,” said fuboTV CEO and Co-founder David Gandler.  “We are equally determined to drive significant value to our expanding list of media partners beyond licensing fees – leveraging our technical capabilities to meet the monetisation challenges unique to live streaming.”

Along with the networks that carry sports programming, a number of general interest, entertainment and news channels are joining Fubo’s entry tier as a result of these affiliate agreements.  In addition to those listed above, this includes networks from A+E Networks (A&E Network, FYI, HISTORY, Lifetime, LMN, Viceland); Crown Media Family Networks (Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries); Fox Networks Group (Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, FX, FXM, FXX, National Geographic, Nat Geo Mundo, Nat Geo WILD); Fuse Media (Fuse, FM); NBCUniversal (Bravo, Chiller, Cloo, CNBC, CNBC World, E!, Esquire, MSNBC, Oxygen, Sprout, Syfy, USA Network); and The Weather Channel (Local Now, The Weather Channel).

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, Catch Up, Content, OTT, OTT, Premium, Rights, VOD