TV Answer Man, I’ve been thinking of subscribing to HBO Max. They seem to have some really good shows and movies. But do you know if they have live sports like Amazon and Hulu? — Nathan, Glen Burnie, Maryland.
Nathan, HBO Max, the subscription streaming service which starts at $9.99 a month for its ads-included plan, has streamed some live soccer games outside of the United States (Mexico) but it has not done any live sports domestically.
But that will change on January 17, 2023 when HBO Max streams the U.S. Women’s National Team’s game against New Zealand at 10 p.m. ET from the Sky Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand. The broadcast kicks off an eight-year deal between Turner Broadcasting and the U.S. Soccer Federation. HBO Max is scheduled to stream 20 U.S. women’s and men’s matches each year with roughly half of those simulcast on the Turner sister networks, TNT and TBS.
“This is a significant milestone for Turner Sports and WarnerMedia, further demonstrating our commitment to the distribution of premium live sports content on HBO Max, while simultaneously fueling our leading entertainment networks, digital and social assets,” Lenny Daniels, president of Turner Sports, said in a statement announcing the deal last spring.
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Turner also has the rights to NHL and NBA games so it’s possible that HBO Max could stream those leagues as well. But thus far, nothing has been announced.
HBO Max’s entry into live sports continues a trend in the subscription VOD industry with Paramount+, Hulu, Amazon all offering live games with their lineup of movies and TV shows. Netflix has been rumored to be interested in pursuing live sports rights as well but has yet to pull the trigger.
Nathan, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
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— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman