Sports fans could get more live action as Skydance plans Paramount, HBO bundle for early 2027

A bundle before a merger

Skydance announced the planned package ahead of its quarterly earnings call on Monday. It will include Paramount+ and HBO Max, with a launch expected in early 2027. The company has not disclosed monthly or annual pricing. Paramount+’s ad-supported plan costs $8.99 a month, while standard HBO Max, which includes live sports, costs $18.49 a month.

Skydance has described bundling as an initial move toward eventually combining the streaming services. The approach resembles Disney’s arrangement after its Hulu purchase: Disney+ and Hulu remain separate, while becoming more integrated and appearing in various bundles.

A wide sports lineup

The package could give sports fans a single place to access much of the live sports portfolio now under Skydance. That lineup includes the NFL on CBS, March Madness, the College Football Playoff, MLB, NHL, UFC, PGA Tour and NASCAR, along with other sports.

For cord-cutters, the bundle could become one of three subscriptions used to access most premium live sports rights. The other options cited are the ESPN Unlimited-Fox One bundle and Peacock.

The potential value will depend on the bundle’s price. The company is expected to disclose pricing closer to its 2027 launch.

Bundles and subscriber value

As viewing options have spread across platforms, media companies have increasingly seen value in packaging services together. Bundles can reduce churn and offer consumers a lower price than purchasing each service separately.

A combined subscription could also offer flexibility to viewers who switch services on or off when programming changes. That may matter to sports fans if a service has little they want to watch in a particular month.

Whether the HBO Max and Paramount+ offer proves attractive to cord-cutters will depend partly on its cost and the programming available through it. Skydance has not yet provided the price.