TNT Sports out of HBO Max, will launch the autonomous application

A new streaming application that franchises the TNT name will launch shortly after Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) is shooting its cable networks, a senior manager confirmed this week.

Speaking at the Bank of America Securities Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference this week, the WBD financial director Gunnar Wiedenfels said development was underway on an autonomous TNT sports application. The product will serve as a direct option for consumers and could be grouped with Discovery Plus or offered by distribution partnerships.

The development of the TNT Sports application occurs while WBD is preparing to transform its wired networks in a company called Discovery Global, which will house TNT, TBS, Tri TV and other sports channels.

“We are working on the creation of our own TNT Sports application, which will be available as a streaming product, but especially as a bundle option – internally with Discovery Plus, more internally with HBO Max, but also open to other industry partners,” said Wiedenfels. “It will be an excellent opportunity for additional monetization.”

The spin-out should be completed next year, after which expanding the Global Discovery and being in charge of the wired networks sector. Warner Bros will keep HBO Max as part of the plan, and Widenfels said that its live sports program “will come out of HBO Max” when the separation is finished.

“Which means we have to have our own home streaming,” he said.

The launch of the TNT SPORTS application occurs at a time when other broadcasters launch their own sports applications, bringing their channels live beyond the cable pack and selling them directly to the streamers.

Last month, Fox Corporation and the Walt Disney Company launched Fox One and ESPN Unlimited, streaming applications and plans that include their sports networks. Next month, the two companies will combine together on a package which includes access to Fox One and ESPN Unlimited for $ 40 per month, $ 10 less than what the streamers would pay if they bought the two services by themselves.

In June, The office Was first reported that Fox had discussions with ESPN and WBD on Bundling Fox One with their streaming applications. The arrangement opened the door to Fox, WBD and ESPN to offer a streaming package that looked like Venu Sports, a streaming application that was developed by the three companies as a joint venture before its existence by Fubo.

Discussions with WBD took place before the company announced its intention to transform its wired networks, but these talks continued in the months that followed, The office reported in August. Pete Distad, the CEO of the Fox streaming company, confirmed in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that the company focuses on obtaining its application with other streaming partners, without specifically named.

An autonomous TNT sports bundle could be a main candidate to group with Fox One and other applications and streaming plans, including ESPN Unlimited. Despite the WBD exchange strategy with regard to sports – the company has lost NBA rights to Peacock de Comcast and the main video of Amazon – Wiedenfels has said that live sports continue to be a priority for the cable networks sector, and that Global Discovery will aggressively pursue more rights when the derivative is finished.

“Sport is the basis of our strategy,” said Wiedenfels. “We will always continue to look at everything that happens on the market … I love the wallet as it is right now. And if there are rights that become available because everyone reshapes their strategies, we will be there and we will take a look. ”

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