NBCUniversal is reportedly in early discussions to launch a new sports-focused cable network. The potential debut could take place as early as this fall. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the prospective channel would primarily feature content currently available on the company’s streaming service, Peacock.
Sources familiar with the matter say the channel would be offered to cable and satellite providers as part of more narrowly targeted specialty bundles, rather than traditional broad-based cable packages. While no final decision has been made, the internal talks underscore NBCU’s continued belief in the value of live sports — even as more consumers pivot away from cable toward streaming.
NBCUniversal, which is owned by Comcast, is making a substantial investment in live sports programming beginning this year. The company agreed to a new deal with the NBA valued at $2.5 billion annually last year. It goes into effect this coming season. Executives are hoping the league’s arrival will help grow Peacock, which currently has about 41 million subscribers. That number trails rivals in the crowded streaming space.
NBCUniversal, like many legacy media companies, is navigating the realities of cord-cutting while simultaneously investing heavily in streaming. In fact, most of its cable channels are in the process of being spun off into a new entity called Versant.
However, sports remains one of the most profitable and durable genres on linear television. NBCU executives appear interested in capturing revenue from fans still loyal to the pay-TV bundle.
To prepare for the influx of sports content, Peacock recently raised subscription prices. The ad-supported tier jumped $3 to $10.99 per month, while the ad-free option now costs $16.99. Despite the tiers, all live sports content on Peacock includes advertisements.
In addition to its future NBA content, Peacock’s current sports lineup includes Sunday Night Football simulcasts, an exclusive NFL regular season game, the Olympics, WNBA, Premier League Soccer, golf, and college football.
According to the report NBCU does not plan to place the new cable sports network into traditional bundles that feature major competitors like ESPN or FS1. Instead, the network would be reserved for genre-based packages offered by distributors like Charter’s Spectrum or DirecTV.
NBCUniversal has operated NBC Sports Network, but it hasn’t produced the same level of impact as other mainstream sports outlets. The network’s biggest marquee events have been featured on USA Network, which is also set to become part of Versant.
NBCUniversal has not confirmed the report by The Wall Street Journal.
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