Tubi launching 10 free live sports channels, including for Fox Sports, NFL, MLB

Fox Corp. is looking to leverage Tubi, its free-streaming outlet, as a new way to monetize a whole bunch of its sports-programming rights and content.

Tubi, together with Fox Sports, has started the rollout of “Sports on Tubi,” a new and expanded hub for sports content on the platform. Tubi is adding 10 livestreaming sports channels — available only in the U.S. — for Fox Sports, Fox Deportes, NFL, MLB, beIn Sports Xtra and beIn Sports Xtra en Español, Fubo Sports Network, Pac-12 Insider, Stadium and USA Today SportsWire. In addition, Tubi plans to add channels for the ACC and Real Madrid later in 2021, with additional channels on tap for next year.

“Sports on Tubi” is launching first on Amazon Fire TV, Roku devices and Android, with other platforms to “follow soon.”

But while the sports channels on Tubi are “live,” in the sense that they are presented in a traditional linear TV fashion, not much of the content being splashed onto the ad-supported service will be live games or matches.

For example, the Fox Sports channel on Tubi will include “highlights, daily studio content and original programming,” according to the companies. Tubi’s curated NFL channel will include “near-to-live” in-season digital highlights plus replays of “some of the most memorable matchups in NFL history” and library content including past seasons of the series “Hard Knocks.” MLB on Tubi features classic baseball games, highlights and shows, including historic World Series and All-Star Games replays, in addition to the “MLB FastCast” daily show. There will be some actual live sporting events on Tubi, including on the Pac-12 and Stadium channels.

Along with the 10 sports channels, the Tubi hub also will comprise nearly 700 hours of on-demand content at launch from the NFL, MLB, Nascar, Big Ten, Concacaf soccer, PBC boxing, PBA bowling and more.

Other “Sports on Tubi” content will include Fox Sports Films’ “Magnify” docu-series; the NASCAR and MLB archive documentaries, produced and curated by Fox Sports Films; the “100,000 Cameras” franchise; “Unrivaled: Earnhardt vs Gordon”; “NASCAR Race Classics”; MLB World Series games; event replays for NHRA races; PBA Bowling; PBC Boxing; Bassmaster fishing; Big Ten, Pac-12, Big 12 and Big East content; PokerStars; and Concacaf Champions League match-ups, which will expand to include the Concacaf Gold Cup and Conmebol Copa America; as well as the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster.

“‘Sports on Tubi’ embraces our viewers’ passion for sports content across our vast library, and we are excited to be launching this offering with world-class brands,” Tubi CEO Farhad Massoudi said in announcing the launch. “With a robust pipeline of sports news, live games and classic matchups, the power of free has expanded for our loyal sports enthusiasts, with even more channels to launch next year.”

Applebee’s and Uber Eats have signed on as inaugural sponsors of “Sports on Tubi.”

“In our continued effort to broaden and enhance our digital reach, Fox Sports is thrilled to partner with Tubi to launch this dynamic lineup of channels and on-demand content, featuring hundreds of hours of programming tailor-made for sports fans,” Mark Silverman, president of national networks for Fox Sports, said in a statement.

Fox Corp. acquired Tubi last year in a $440 million deal. Currently, Tubi has more than 35,000 movies and TV series from 250-plus content partners, including every major studio.

Under Fox Corp.’s wing, Tubi this fall plans to launch more than 140 hours of new content, including Tubi original documentaries from Fox Alternative Entertainment; animated titles from Fox Entertainment’s animation studio, Bento Box Entertainment; and titles across the Black cinema, thriller, horror, sci-fi, romance and Western genres. Variety