RealGM

NBCUniversal to stream local sports on Peacock, WSJ reports


-Comcast-owned NBCUniversal plans to add its regional sports channels to its Peacock streaming service as soon as early 2025, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the plans.

The four NBC Sports networks that will be added have local broadcast rights in Boston, Philadelphia and across Northern California, including to games for high-profile teams such as the Golden State Warriors, Celtics and Phillies, the report said.

The games will still be available on television, according to WSJ.

NBCUniversal is still completing details of the plan and the rollout could be delayed. One option executives are discussing is to make the channels available as add-ons in the local markets so that fans there can pay extra to stream games, WSJ reported.

While details of Comcast’s plans are still to be finalised, it is likely that local broadcasts will be offered as a premium add-on to Peacock subscribers in relevant markets, bolstering its national sports lineup and increasing availability among households who have ‘cut the cord’ and ditched cable.

While Peacock ceded the national rights to the NHL to TNT and ESPN in 2022, and has not renewed its deal with MLB, it has just agreed a US$2.5 billion-a-year contract with the NBA and WNBA from 2025/26.

On Monday, four days before Thursday’s 2024-25 season opener, the Mavericks announced the launch of a subscription service, which will initially be powered through the NBA’s Next Gen platform, inside the NBA app.

A Mavs-specific app, called MavsTV, will launch later this season. MavsTV also is the name the franchise is branding its entire inaugural regional broadcast operation, which replaces Bally Sports Southwest.


The Mavericks streaming subscription costs $124.99 for a season-long pass. A monthly subscription costs $14.99. For a limited time, and while supplies last, fans who subscribe to a season-long pass have the option of receiving two tickets to a thus-far-unspecified game or a $75 Mavs merchandise gift card. The subscription service is free for fans who are part of Club Maverick — in other words, season ticket holders.

Related:What we know about the Dallas Mavericks’ TV broadcast situation for local fans this season
Like the over-the-air broadcasts, which will be available to approximately 14 million people in Texas and parts of Oklahoma and Louisiana, the Mavericks streaming service will broadcast the at-least 70 games that are not exclusively nationally televised — starting with Saturday’s game at Phoenix.