DirecTV announces it will launch a skinny bundle of channels aimed at sports viewers

By JOE REEDY The Associated Press

FILE - A DirecTV logo identifies the company's headquarters in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, May 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Ariana Cubillos]

DirecTV is launching a package aimed at viewers who watch mostly sports.

The MySports skinny bundle announced Tuesday will feature 40 sports and broadcast channels. It will launch in 24 markets with those in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and the San Francisco Bay Area (Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose) able to receive their local ABC, NBC and Fox affiliates.

“We’ve been at this journey for what amounts to maybe even a little bit more than a year, trying to figure out what it is that consumers would want, what would resonate most with them, and then translating that work into negotiations with the likes of Disney, Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBC and others to make sure we had the ability to assemble that content into these smaller packages,” said Vince Torres, DirecTV’s chief marketing officer.

The MySports bundle includes the ESPN and Fox Sports Networks, the ACC, SEC and Big Ten networks, Golf Channel, TNT, TBS, TruTV, USA Network as well as the networks from the NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB. More markets and local ABC, Fox and NBC stations will be added when agreements are reached with affiliates.

CBS and Paramount-owned channels currently are not included.

The package also includes channels available from the MyFree DirecTV ad-supported channels. DirecTV will also add the ESPN+ streaming channel and more direct-to-consumer channels in the future.

The package’s announcement comes less than a week after Venu Sports — the joint sports streaming venture involing Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery — announced it would not proceed.

DirecTV was involved in a nearly 2-week dispute with Walt Disney Company last September over a new carriage agreement where DirecTV sought the ability to offer skinnier bundles of channels. As part of the agreement, DirecTV is able to offer Disney-owned channels in sports, entertainment, and kids and family bundles.

Warner Bros. Discovery announced Tuesday that it has also reached a new carriage agreement with DirecTV.

DirecTV has plans to launch bundles in other genres soon.

According to a poll commissioned by the American Television Alliance last fall, 78% of sports viewers said they preferred an option with smaller channel bundles.

The MySports bundle has an introductory price of $49.99 monthly for the first three months. By comparison, DirecTV’s lowest-priced package after MySports is $86.99 for 90-plus channels plus local stations.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports