YouTube is the U.S.’s biggest streaming platform. And while some competitors are out to beat it, one has decided to join it.
Starting in early 2027, YouTube Premium subscribers will also get access to streaming platform Peacock–not for an additional charge, but as a free perk, thanks to a deal between YouTube and Peacock’s parent NBCUniversal.
The agreement expands on one YouTube and NBCUniversal struck last year; that deal allowed YouTube to sell Peacock as one of its “Primetime Channels,” aka paid add-ons for Premium subscribers. (They also have a deal for NBCUniversal content to be distributed on YouTube TV.)
Under this new, expanded deal–which NBCUniversal calls a “multi-year global strategic partnership”–U.S.-based Premium subscribers will get everything Peacock has to offer for free, with zero ads. If they subscribed to Peacock separately, that’d cost $16.99/month.
It’s additionally the first time since YouTube stopped producing Originals that Premium subscribers get a tangible perk with a set price advantage. Up till this deal, Premium’s main draw was ad-free viewing, because unlike every other streaming platform, YouTube can’t charge to access its massive bank of content, all made by creators. It can only paywall freedom from ads and jingling-key features like being able to download videos for offline viewing.
But in the last couple years, YouTube has increased the price of Premium, originally $9.99/month, to $15.99/month, without adding any major extras. In that regard, the Peacock bundle could be a game-changer. It gives subscribers something real, something they can point to and say, Paying for Premium is worth it.
It’s not clear yet if Peacock will be included with the lower-cost YouTube Premium Lite ($7.99/month), or if it comes with full-price Premium only.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said the platform is “incredibly excited to expand our partnership with NBCUniversal to redefine what a modern entertainment subscription can be for consumers.”
“YouTube Premium brings your favorite creators, artists and cultural moments together uninterrupted, and now, we’re pairing that ultimate viewing experience with Peacock’s expansive lineup of live sports like Sunday Night Football and the NBA, blockbuster Universal movies, and original series,” he added. “This makes it easier than ever for our members to find and watch all the premium content they love, all in one place.”
Sports is obviously a top keyword there. YouTube just polished off a creator-heavy partnership with FIFA for the World Cup, and of course has a big fish in the pond with its pricey NFL Sunday Ticket score. Streamers across the board are looking at live sports licensing as a primary focus, since live sports is one of the only things on traditional TV that continues to see performance growth.
The YouTube Premium x Peacock bundle will include content from the NFL, Olympics, NBA, MLB, Big Ten and Notre Dame Football, Big 12, Big East and Big Ten College Basketball, Premier League, WNBA, and Kentucky Derby. Some sports content will also stream for free on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel.
On top of that, NBC Sports will become the official production partner for “select premier live sporting events on YouTube,” NBCUniversal said.
“This partnership with NBCUniversal is a great example of how we can grow YouTube’s subscription business alongside our key partners,” Mary Ellen Coe, YouTube’s CBO, said in a statement. “Together, we are expanding NBCU’s content presence on YouTube, building a sustainable growth engine for both of our companies, and collaborating across streaming distribution, advertising and live sports production.”
While this is a novel deal for YouTube, it’s a long-awaited sign of the times for the streaming industry. Cord-cutters who enthusiastically abandoned cable TV years ago due to skyrocketing prices are now faced with paying individually for every streaming service imaginable, and in a strapped economy, something’s gotta give.
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