YouTube Premium to include Peacock Premium in free bundle starting early 2027

The new offering is part of a broader deal between NBCUniversal and YouTube that will see some live sports events aired on YouTube and YouTubeTV

A YouTube Premium membership is about to come with a ton of new programming. According to an NBCUniversal announcement, starting early next year, YouTube Premium will include Peacock Premium at no additional cost.  Peacock Premium Plus has already been available via YouTube Primetime Channels since late June. Under the new deal, Peacock content will be available to millions of YouTube Premium subscribers as well. The deal will also extend NBCUniversal’s multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV, which was previously renewed last year.  YouTube Premium, the subscription version of YouTube, offers ad-free videos that are available to download. According to YouTube’s subscription page, the service has 125 million global Premium members, and plans start at $8.99 per month. Peacock Premium, which currently costs $10.99 per month ($110 yearly), includes live sports coverage, next-day access to current NBC and Bravo shows, hit movies, Peacock originals, and more.  There will be an option to upgrade to Peacock Premium Plus, the platform’s ad-free option.   [Image: YouTube] “With this agreement, Peacock accelerates its next phase of growth by bringing the service to millions of YouTube Premium subscribers, driving long-term value for our business,” Matt Strauss, chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group, said in a press release.  Strauss continued: “Combined with our YouTube TV extension, this agreement opens the door to new ways for audiences to discover, access, and deepen engagement with NBCUniversal’s industry-leading content wherever and however they choose to watch.”   The new partnership comes as streaming platforms all seem to be competing against the “big three,” as Netflix, Amazon, and Disney have dominated the streaming wars by relying heavily on acquisitions.  Alternately, Peacock certainly seems to be betting on bundles to stay competitive, especially given the latest partnership is not the first major deal Peacock has made recently. Last summer, NBCUniversal and Amazon reached a deal to bring the ad-free version of Peacock to Prime Video Channels. Then in October, Peacock and Apple debuted a new streaming bundle, allowing subscribers to save about 30%.  “This partnership with NBCUniversal is a great example of how we can grow YouTube’s subscription business alongside our key partners,” said Mary Ellen Coe, YouTube’s chief business officer.  Coe continued: “By bringing Peacock to YouTube Premium, we’re giving our members an incredible lineup of content while also connecting them to the creator ecosystem and cultural moments that fans can only find on YouTube.”

YouTube and NBCUniversal have announced a deal bundling Peacock Premium into YouTube Premium's $15.99 per month plan starting early next year, adding NFL, NBA, MLB, and shows like SNL and Love Island.

YouTube Premium will include Peacock Premium at no extra charge beginning in early 2027. "The deal brings a slew of premium content to the [$15.99 per month] YouTube Premium subscription, including live sports like the NFL, NBA and MLB and entertainment like Law & Order, Saturday Night Live and Love Island," reports The Hollywood Reporter. "It also has the potential to dramatically scale Peacock, which remains smaller than many of its streaming competitors." From the report: Peacock has 48 million subscribers, while YouTube Premium and YouTube Music have a combined 125 million subscribers, though they don't break out how many each of those offerings have. The agreement, which expands on the deal the company inked with YouTube parent company Google last year, will also extend the entertainment company's programming deal with YouTube TV, while bringing some of YouTube's offerings to Comcast Xfinity and Xumo platforms. There's also a notable sports and production element to the deal, with NBC Sports agreeing to stream some live sporting events on its YouTube channels, and with NBC agreeing to serve as the production partner for select live events on YouTube. YouTube will also bundle some of the company's International streaming offerings like Universal+ and Hayu in select markets. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Peacock Premium will be included with YouTube Premium in the US at no extra cost starting in early 2027. The deal, announced on Sunday by NBCUniversal and YouTube, is Peacock’s largest wholesale distribution partnership to date and immediately expands its reach to millions of existing YouTube Premium subscribers. Peacock Premium currently costs $10.99 per month […] This story continues at The Next Web

YouTube Premium subscribers in the U.S. will get Peacock Premium included with their subscription starting in early 2027 as part of a new partnership with NBCUniversal.