One month after the 2021 Major League Baseball regular season threw out its first pitch, virtual multichannel video programming distributors YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV and Fubo TV are still without Sinclair Broadcast Group’s regional sports networks, now rebranded as Bally Sports Networks. Pricing appears to be the reason for the decision to do without the channels, and apparently there has been little movement on either side regarding negotiations.
Hulu Live experienced its second major technical snafu this week Thursday night with thousands of customers again taking to social media sites to express their frustration over being unable to watch their favorite shows.
Exclusives
Hulu has extended its lead among virtual MVPD operators for local station sign-ups, announcing that it now has deals to retransmit 521 local broadcast affiliates across the U.S. With the addition of more ABC and Fox affiliates this week, Hulu said it can now offer locals for each of the Big Four broadcast networks in nearly 50% of U.S. TV homes.
Hulu has announced the addition of 61 second-city and small-town broadcast network affiliates to its virtual MVPD service. With the addition, Hulu Live now has access to 492 broadcast network O&Os and affiliates across its national footprint.
Hulu’s new live package of linear TV networks could add major TV advertising and subscription revenues to its coffers. The service, which started up last month, could — after getting 1.18 million subscribers, 1% of the total U.S. TV homes at 118 million — initially generate annual advertising revenue of $71.1 million and $568.3 million in subscriber fees.
