Entertainment giant Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is likely as aware as the rest of us that live sports are a big part of streaming video value propositions these days. So it should come as little surprise that Warner is planning such a property for near-term release. Investors certainly seemed enthused, and sent shares climbing up over 2% in the closing minutes of Monday’s trading.
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The app in question is called TNT Sports, reports note, and it will combine content from TNT, TBS, TruTV, and other channels that have sports offerings in them. Not only will it be available as a streaming product, reports note, but it will also be available as a bundle option, which means it can come along with things like HBO Max as a one-stop shop for Warner sports content. Given that that content is now inclusive of some really eclectic stuff, this could be quite the value-add.
“That’s going to be a great additional monetization opportunity,” noted soon-to-be CEO of Discovery Global Gunnar Wiedenfels. The new app will likely be coming out sometime next year, reports suggest, after the separation of Warner and Discovery takes place. Indeed, this development is starting to look like table stakes, as several of Warner’s key competitors are developing similar apps.
The YouTube Scourge
There was bad news for Warner as well, though, as new reports say that Warner’s share of television viewing is in open decline thanks to YouTube. Alphabet’s (GOOGL) major streaming platform, YouTube is now the most-watched TV provider for 2025, according to Nielsen data.
While much of YouTube’s content is user-generated, YouTube also has the YouTube TV system, which is drawing in users as well. YouTube now commands 11.8% of all TV usage, and Warner is down behind a series of competing platforms at just 6.5%. A combination of factors gave YouTube its edge, starting with an algorithm-based recommendation system, a huge array of content, and ready inclusion in smart TV platforms.
Is WBD Stock a Good Buy?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Moderate Buy consensus rating on WBD stock based on 10 Buys and seven Holds assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 65.89% rally in its share price over the past year, the average WBD price target of $13.86 per share implies 12.09% upside potential.
