As Warner Bros. Discovery prepares to split into two separate companies, the entity that houses TNT Sports already has plans to create its own standalone streaming service.
During an earnings call earlier this week, WBD chief financial officer Gunnar Wiedenfels discussed his vision for Discovery Global, the WBD spin-off that will feature the company’s legacy television assets. And in doing so, Wiedenfels — who will serve as Discovery Global’s CEO and president — revealed plans to launch a standalone streaming service following the split.
“I don’t think there is a need to sublicense,” Wiedenfels said. “In fact, [TNT Sports CEO] Luis [Silberwasser] and the team are working hard on developing the go-to-market approach to utilize our streaming rights going forward. And the broad strokes are, it’s going to be a stand-alone product that we will be able to take direct to the consumer, but also bundle with HBO Max, with Discovery Plus, potentially third parties. Again, all in the spirit of making our content available to as many people as possible. So lots to work through and stay tuned.”
It’s certainly notable to hear Wiedenfels specifically mention bundling opportunities with HBO Max, as that streaming service will remain with the streaming and studios-focused side of WBD known as Warner Bros. dollowing the split. While the two companies will be separate, it seems clear they will still be working together, although Discovery Global will also have the freedom to pair with other partners as well.
From a sports perspective, TNT Sports doesn’t currently possess the most noteworthy portfolio. It does, however, lay claim to a wide-ranging collection of assets including (but not limited to) deals with MLB, NHL, the NCAA Tournament, NASCAR, Big 12 and Mountain West football, the French Open and AEW.
Depending on the price point, it’s hard to imagine the standalone service finding much success on its own — at least for sports fans. But it certainly could prove additive in bundling opportunities, which appears to be right in line with Wiedenfels’ vision.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.