Starz and BET+ bundle up
Starz and BET+ are the latest bundle made available through Prime Video Channels. It costs $15.99/month, which represents a 30% savings compared to the services purchased individually. The bundle seems like a good fit as both services target younger Black audiences with BET+ featuring a plethora of Tyler Perry content and Starz showcasing original series such as “Power,” “BMF” and “P-Valley.” Starz and Prime Video have been actively involved with bundles recently. A few weeks ago, Max and Starz formed a new bundle launching on Prime Video, while Vizio is launching a package of Starz and AMC+.
The Circana Take:
- Prime is going all in on SVOD bundles to grow viewer engagement and offer targeted service reach they would not otherwise get. The challenge becomes the high dependency on a single distributor.
Starz and YouTube TV promo
Speaking of Starz, the company partnered with YouTube to give YouTube TV and Primetime Channel viewers free access to their library. This promo is good through April and was part of YouTube’s multi-year agreement with Starz last year. Starz content includes popular movies such as “Spider-Man,” “John Wick” and “The Hunger Games” and original series “Outlander,” “Sweetpea,” and “The Couple Next Door.” The trial period coincides with the broadcasting of major events such as the Super Bowl, the Oscars, March Madness and the beginning of the MLB season. A monthly subscription to YouTube TV is $83 and includes access to these events.
The Circana Take:
- Starz continues a strong push to expand its presence to a wider audience with the hope of increasing viewership and subscriber growth. You Tube TV viewers get more value-added content.
Apple TV+ expands MLS content
Apple TV+ will be airing a new weekly MLS live Sunday night soccer game starting with the 2025 season. It will be free for those who have MLS Season Pass subscriptions. The Sunday Night Soccer event will also include pre- and post-game coverage, enhanced production/studio programming and customized graphics. Moreover, Apple will add a new feature that makes it easier for viewers to navigate across games. This is Apple TV+’s second live sports night joining Friday Night Baseball which returns this year for its fourth season.
The Circana Take:
- Apple is positioning itself as a source of sports content while giving current MLS subscribers additional content.
- This move reflects a growing trend in the industry, with streaming companies using live sports to draw and retain subscribers.