Sports Streaming Bundles Spark Subscription Service Scrutiny

The shifting landscape of sports broadcasting is forcing viewers to pay more for content. As streaming services merge, fans are finding that access to their favorite games now comes at a higher price, alongside unwanted extras.

The Trend of Bundled Services

A clear trend is the consolidation of services into packages that include more channels, yet come at a greater cost. Media analyst Filip Rožánek highlights how sports broadcasts use this method to retain subscribers. For example, the owner of Eurosport has moved all sports streams to Max, which also features movies and series.

This strategy is born out of the current state of the sports industry. The expense of broadcasting rights for major competitions has soared, becoming a fundamental income source for clubs and sports associations.

Customer Frustrations and Price Hikes

Platforms and stations are trying to pass on these increasing costs through subscriptions. Rožánek noted, “And sports fans are typically a loyal group of spectators who are willing to pay due to the popular discipline, even if with the initial grinding.”

O2, too, combined O2 TV and Voyo into OnePlay, increasing the price. Many customers were upset by this change. Sports fans who subscribed to O2 TV primarily to watch Czech football or hockey now pay for content they don’t need.

Examples and Comparisons

Another example in the region is Canal+, the TV station and streaming service holding rights to the British football Premier League and female tennis. Subscriptions start at 239 crowns monthly. According to Rožánek, the “package” approach can be found in the world, exemplified by Disney, which owns the sports channel ESPN.

“For Czech users, this means that if they want to watch women’s football, such as championship league since autumn, they have to download and subscribe to Disney+, even if they are otherwise not interested in movies and series,” Rožánek added.

Cancellation Challenges

O2 TV users are also unhappy with how difficult it is to cancel OnePlay. Customers are struggling to end subscriptions. One user pointed out on Vasteznosti.cz, “He cannot call the operator. There is always a chatbot that does not solve anything by linking to the customer line, online chat. There is also just chatbot; and then ends your call.”

The consumer organization DTEST has seen a rise in complaints since OnePlay launched. Lucie Korbeliusová, a DTEST spokesperson, shared with news outlets that, “Consumers did not receive a transparent and simple mechanism for rejection of change. For example, it was not possible to terminate the response to the e-mail.”

As an alternative, even though the operator states a call on the customer line, consumers had to first deal with a virtual assistant who often didn’t meet their requirements or understand their needs. The consumer organization filed a complaint about the O2 practices to the Czech Telecommunication Office.

With the increasing costs and bundling of services, the subscription model has seen a shift, as viewers are paying higher prices for content. Revenue in the “Video Streaming” segment is projected to reach US$80.78bn in 2024 (Statista). This is changing how fans access their favorite sports.