The new sports streaming service featuring channels from ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery has a name and now a price, although a launch date is still to be determined.
The new service called Venu combines sports-specific programming for linear channels for all three networks plus access to ESPN+, which remains a vital component for fight fans.
At launch, Venu costs $42.99 per month and users who subscribe at that price are guaranteed to lock it in for one year and the service can be cancelled at any time. There’s also a seven-day free trial available when the service launches.
Venu includes access to live, linear channels — previously only available through cable, satellite or other streaming services like YouTube TV — including all ESPN networks, FOX, ABC, TNT and TBS. ESPN+ is also included with the service with both the UFC and PFL airing many events exclusively on the streaming service rather than linear channels like ESPN or ESPN2.
Now all of that is included under one roof with Venu.
The streaming service is targeted to launch in the fall before the start of the NFL season, but an exact date is still to be announced.
The three networks—typically at odds with each other over ratings and sports rights—made the unprecedented move to team together to launch the new streaming service aimed at sports fans.
It’s a particularly interesting time for the UFC as the promotion prepares to engage in talks on a new broadcast rights deal beginning in early 2025. ESPN remains the sole broadcast partner to the UFC, but that deal comes to a close at the end of 2025, so negotiations are expected to begin in the near future.
ESPN maintains an exclusive negotiating window with the UFC to get a new deal done, although it’s highly unlikely the two sides reach an agreement during that period. It’s only after the exclusive window closes that the UFC can begin fielding offers from other potential suitors with a long list of viable options available in the constantly evolving sports rights battle.
The NBA just recently inked a massive 11-year deal worth $77 billion with the basketball league broadcasting games on ESPN, NBC, and Amazon Prime Video.
That was the last major domino to fall in terms of major sports leagues seeking a new TV contract before the UFC begins negotiating a broadcast deal in 2025.
