Samsung offers free ESPN promo
Samsung is offering buyers of its 2025 Glare Free HD TVs a one-year subscription to the new ESPN Unlimited streaming service. This promo is offered to celebrate the launch of the new enhanced ESPN app and entice sports fans to upgrade their televisions. Samsung Glare Free TVs are designed to eliminate reflections (including sunlight). Models include the Samsung Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED 4K, OLED and “The Frame Pro” series of televisions. Sports are best viewed on the highest quality sets with the maximum picture and screen quality, and Samsung is looking to take advantage with this new partnership.
The Circana Take:
- Offering free sports programming for a full year (a significant amount of time for a promo) will help Samsung stand out from other manufacturers.
- SVOD bundling beyond service pairings is the next frontier and Disney is leading the industry with promotions like this as well as their Kroger Boost benefits and Amex offers.
Roku partners with YouTube TV
Roku entered a new partnership with YouTube TV that combines the streaming service’s sports programming with Roku's Sports Channel, making it easier for viewers to watch live sports, including NFL Sunday Ticket. Roku Sports launched in 2022 as a hub where users can find sports content and live games based on the apps they subscribed to. The Roku Sports Channel launched last year as a FAST channel and is in the Roku Sports hub. It is intended to help users quickly locate the games they want to watch without having to open several different apps. Those who have a YouTube TV account can click into a game and then redirect to the service where they can find other games, highlights and watch up to four games with Multiview.
The Circana Take:
- This new collaboration follows previous contentions between the two companies. Ultimately, it’s a sign of each providers leadership in the space and will bring simplicity to an increasingly fragmented streaming sports landscape. Viewers win.