
National pay television provider DirecTV has fulfilled a pledge to offer more-flexible options to sports fans through the introduction of a new programming package called MySports.
The package, announced early this morning, is available in 24 major television markets and priced at $70 per month. DirecTV is offering a $20 per month discount for the first two months when new users sign up for the package via DirecTV Stream, which includes a five-day free trial.
At launch, the service offers national cable networks from the Walt Disney Company, Fox Corporation, Comcast’s NBC Universal and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), including:
- ACC Network
- Big 10 Network
- DirecTV Live 4K
- ESPN
- ESPN 2
- ESPN U
- ESPNews
- Fox Sports 1
- Fox Sports 2
- Golf Channel
- MLB Network
- NBA TV
- NFL Network
- NHL Network
- SEC Network
- TBS
- TNT
- Tru TV
- USA Network
MySports from DirecTV will also include local broadcast stations that are owned or operated by ABC, Fox and NBC in 24 major television markets, including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco. In the four markets where NBC operates a regional broadcast station — Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco and Sacramento — DirecTV is exploring ways to allow MySports from DirecTV subscribers to add those channels on separately, according to a source familiar with the company’s plans.
Likewise, the company intends to negotiate with independent broadcasters like Nexstar Media Group, Sinclair, the E. W. Scripps Company and TENGA to add their localy ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC affiliates to the package in the coming months, the source said. DirecTV’s distribution agreement already allows it to include ESPN Plus as part of a MySports subscription, and customers will be able to activate that streaming service in the coming weeks.
“The introduction of MySports from DirecTV delivers consumers greater choice, flexibility, and control to select the type of content they want to watch at the right value,” Bill Morrow, the CEO of DirecTV, said in a statement. “This is the first of several genre-based options we plan to launch over the coming months on our path towards a brighter TV future for consumers.”
In addition to the premium sports channels, DirecTV Stream users also have access to MyFree DirecTV, which includes dozens of free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels, some of which offer live sports or sports-related programming. FAST channels offered through MyFree DirecTV include:
- ACC Digital Network
- Big 12
- Fight Network
- Fuel TV
- Origin Sports
- Pickleball TV
- Players TV
- Sports Grid
- Stadium
- Surfer TV
- Swerve Combat
- T2
- The Jim Rome Show
- TNA
- Waypoint TV
- Women’s Sports Network
The launch of the sports-inclusive package comes several months after DirecTV announced a new carriage deal with Disney, one that restored popular channels like ESPN, FX and National Geographic to its platform after a two-week dispute. The new distribution agreement gave DirecTV the ability to offer more-flexible programming plans that group channels around certain genres, including sports. In an interview with Bloomberg, a Disney executive affirmed the company’s agreement with DirecTV gives the pay TV provider permission to launch three genre-based packages that include Disney’s broadcast and cable networks.
WBD also gave its blessing to the new package, with a spokesperson telling The Desk that the company was “leased to partner with DirecTV on its newly announced genre package as part of a new, multi-year agreement for WBD’s full portfolio of networks.”
“We look forward to sharing additional information in the coming weeks,” the WBD spokesperson said. “With this deal complete, WBD has successfully closed agreements with the top 3 distributors in the United States.”
For now, MySports from DirecTV appears to be available only on DirecTV Stream, and it isn’t clear if the package will make its way over to DirecTV via Satellite. DirecTV Stream is available across most popular smartphones, tablets and smart TV platforms, including Apple, Android, Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
—
Correction: An earlier version of this story said the MySports by DirecTV package was available nationwide. The package is initially available in 24 markets. The earlier information was provided by a DirecTV spokesperson, who affirmed after publication that it was a mistake.