In an age where many streaming services are folding up Comcast has decided to leverage its considerable pull in the traditional TV space to launch Sports & News TV a new service that will offer multiple news and sports options along with general entertainment through a combination of broadcast channel networks, cable channels and a group of already free streaming channels put together in one interface.
For $70.00 a month contract-free, customers will have access to broadcasters ABC, NBC, FOX, and ABC. The new bundle will also feature cable news channels CNBC, CNN, FOX News and MSNBC, many of which are Comcast/SpinCo channels, and of course the major sports cable channels Sports with live coverage spanning college and professional sports including ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, FS1, GOLF Channel, and SEC Network.
Not only is this package filled with TV channels, Comcast is also folding in Peacock. The company’s streaming service has been growing as a sports and entertainment destination since its uneven launch during the pandemic lockdowns. The streaming service is home to the WWE content library in the US including every instance of the company’s Premium Live Events “PLE’S”, formerly pay-per-view events. Peacock also serves as the destination for all the live PLE’s as well. The Olympics are a huge draw every two years and it even includes some great original TV shows, NBC Univeral hits from throughout the decades and a huge collection of Universal films. Coming in the 2025-2026 NBA season Peacock will have its own package of NBA games.
The 100 free Internet channels will likely be the same selection available through Comcast’s X1 service. They will include sports, news, comedy and general entertainment movie and TV channels.
What do I need to get the Sports & News TV package from Comcast?
Aside from living in place where the service is offered If you can get the Sports & News TV you will have multiple ways to access it. They can add Comcast’s X1 TV box to their subscription to get features like Enhanced 4K, Multiview, Odds Zone, and integrated search with the Xfinity voice remote. They can also access the service through Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV and iOS.
Overall this is actually one of the most compelling sports and TV packages I’ve run across. If you think of it as an Internet options with TV content as apposed to a TV service you can understand the scale of the deal.
Who should get the Sports & News TV Package?
If your primary reason for having cable was dependable access to national broadcast networks, sports channels and news, then this package might actually be what you have been waiting on forever. As of press time Comcast is not advertising many channels outside this preview. And the landscape of TV sports, though fragmented is very built in to this service as best as can be. No, it does not include Amazon Prime Video which does host 1 NFL football game a week, but between NBC, CBS, FOX and ABC you are not going to miss much. Peacock is a criminally underrated streaming service. Some of its original shows are the best dark comedies I have seen since Veep.
Who Should Not Get The Sports & News TV Package?
If you are a viewer who can’t live without lifestyle TV this will not work for you at all. When I say lifestyle TV I am referring to things like The Discovery, Discovery Health, The Food Network, HGTV and other channels built around reality/documentary-style programming. If it involves people sharing their lives and work live on camera you are going to have trouble finding it on the Sports & News TV package. Luckily though, FRNDLY TV and Philo already have that niche covered.