Media companies ProSiebenSat.1 and Discovery have confirmed plans today (Monday) to launch a new OTT platform in Germany that will combine the 7TV, Maxdome and Eurosport Player streaming services.
Sports content will sit alongside “an extensive media library with great local content” and “the best from Hollywood” according to the two companies, which have invited commercial broadcaster RTL and public-service broadcasters ARD and ZDF to join the venture. The ownership model of the joint venture was not revealed.
The platform will offer a free advertising-based service, as well as subscription video on demand for exclusive sports programming and movies.
The two companies said that they aim to create bespoke content and “rapidly scale up and invest into the platform” by building a dedicated team of more than 200 staff members to support the platform by the first half of 2019.
“Our aim is 10 million users in the first two years and we are putting very significant resources and investment with urgency into this effort,” ProSiebenSat.1 chief executive Max Conze said. “I am inviting RTL and ARD/ZDF to join us so we can have one German champion.”
Discovery president and chief executive David Zaslav added: “Together with ProSiebenSat.1, we are building a world-class streaming service to nourish superfans in one of our most important international markets while also creating a new model for the future for viewers to enjoy their favourite content.”
Since September 2017, ProSiebenSat.1 and Discovery Communications have offered joint content on 7TV, including programming from Eurosport and ProSiebenSat.1’s Sport1 channel.
Under the new partnership, 7TV viewers will be able to access the Eurosport 1 HD and Eurosport 2 HD Xtra channels, with the latter having shown 45 matches exclusively live from the German Bundesliga football competition last season.
Neither a launch date nor a name for the platform was revealed, but former Google and YouTube executive Alexandar Vassilev, currently chief executive of 7TV, will lead the venture. Conze will serve as the head the joint venture’s board, with Discovery Networks president and chief executive Jean Briac Perrette representing Discovery on the board.
The agreement is subject to approval from the respective authorities.