Consumers have lost a collective understanding of time. In the past 15 years—since the arrival of streaming services—what we watch and when we watch has been growing more and more individualistic. Gone are the days when every household would read the morning newspaper or be home in time for the six o’clock network news.

But as streaming services look to grow their subscriber base, some platforms have begun to reconsider and incorporate more traditional cable television practices. In particular, streaming services increasingly are testing out whether bundling their offerings with those of other providers can make them more competitive. Others have begun broadcasting live television events.

Combining both these ideas, Warner Brothers, Discovery, Fox, and Disney announced a joint sports initiative, which will offer a single streaming service that provides coverage of all NBA and NFL games. Meanwhile, Comcast has proposed the StreamSaver bundle, which offers access to Peacock, Netflix, and Apple TV+, at a discounted rate. The goal is to retain Comcast’s broadband and cable customers and keep them from switching to competing streaming platforms. 

Without planning any collaborations with other broadcasters, Netflix recently announced a three-season deal with the NFL to show Christmas Day football games, making it the first partnership between a streaming platform and a major sports league. Meanwhile, Netflix already had expanded its live television offerings outside of sporting events, such as a recent comedy roast of Tom Brady and John Mulaney’s new talk show, both of which premiered live, and then remained available to viewers to rewatch later, at their convenience. 

Such throwback trends are not limited to content decisions either. Streaming services have begun to rely more on revenue earned from advertising, in line with more traditional television models. For example, Netflix’s lower-priced, ad-supported subscription model has proved appealing to consumers, willing to accept a few commercial breaks in return for a lower fee. This option grew 65 percent in a recent quarter, and it now counts 40 million monthly global users. Experts predict that more platforms will follow suit. As NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has referred to them, streaming channels seem to be the future. And all of the major sports leagues are taking notice, with the recognition that the potential for streaming revenue will greatly shape future negotiations over broadcasting rights.

Discussion Questions

1. Which television genres lend themselves best to live broadcasting? Why?
   Why would Comcast chose to bundle with Peacock, Netflix, and Apple TV+?
2. What is it about these streaming services that, bundled together, offers a wider range of options for viewers?  

Sources: Benjamin Mullin, “Comcast Plans Streaming Bundle With Netflix and Apple TV+,” The New York Times, May 14, 2024; Carrie Marshall, “Panic Stations: Why Streaming’s Set for Big Changes in 2024,” TechRadar, December 28, 2023; Nicole Sperling, “Netflix and the N.F.L. Sign a Three-Season Deal,” The New York Times, May 15, 2024; OpenAI ChatGPT, “Assistance with Research on Streaming Services Adopting Cable TV Strategies,” June 2, 2024.