DirecTV is launching a package aimed primarily at viewers who watch sports.
of MySports Skinny Bundle It was announced on Tuesday and will feature 40 sports and broadcast channels. Launching in 24 markets, markets in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and the San Francisco Bay Area (Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose) will receive service from local ABC, NBC, and Fox affiliates.
“We've been on this journey for probably a little over a year, figuring out what consumers want, what resonates most, and then translating that work into negotiations with governments. We worked with Disney, Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBC and others to make sure we had the ability to package that content into these smaller packages,” said Vince Torres, Chief Marketing Officer, DirecTV. .
The MySports bundle includes ESPN, Fox Sports Networks, ACC, SEC, Big Ten Networks, Golf Channel, TNT, TBS, TruTV, USA Network, and the NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB networks. More markets and local ABC, Fox and NBC stations will be added as agreements are reached with affiliates.
CBS and Paramount-owned channels are currently not included.
The package also includes channels available from MyFree DirecTV ad-supported channels. DirecTV plans to add ESPN+ streaming channels and more consumer channels in the future.
The announcement of the package comes less than a week after Veenu Sports, the sports streaming joint venture between Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, announced it would not proceed.
Last September, DirecTV was embroiled in a nearly two-week dispute with the Walt Disney Company over a new carriage contract, in which DirecTV sought the ability to offer narrower channel bundles. As part of the deal, DirecTV will be able to offer Disney-owned channels in sports, entertainment, kids and family bundles.
DirecTV plans to launch bundles for other genres soon.
According to a poll commissioned by the American Television Alliance last fall, 78% of sports viewers said they preferred smaller channel bundle options.
The MySports bundle has an initial price of $49.99 per month for the first three months. By comparison, DirecTV's lowest priced package after MySports is $86.99 with over 90 channels and local stations.
