Comcast said Thursday that it has integrated support for the Fubo app into Xumo Stream Box and Xumo TVs, as well as Xfinity Flex.
With the inclusion, users download the Fubo app to Xumo and Flex. And if they're a subscriber to one or more of these respective services, they'll have voice control access to the four largest virtual MVPDs, with YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV already supported by Xumo Stream Box, Xumo TV and Flex.
These devices also come pre-installed with FAST services Xumo Play, Tubi and Pluto TV.
Fubo, which ended March with just over 1.5 million subscribers, markets itself heavily on live sports access.
Comcast, meanwhile, launched Xumo as a joint venture with Charter Communications two years ago, attempting to establish a gateway OS presence in living rooms increasingly dominated by TV operating systems created by Roku, Samsung, Amazon and Google.
Also Read: Xumo TV: Everything You Need to Know About the Comcast and Charter Streaming OS Joint Venture
Like Flex, Comcast is now giving the HDMI-connectable Xumo Stream Box OTT device for free to its broadband-only customers. The "Comcast Entertainment OS" also powers Xumo TV-branded smart TVs made by manufacturers including Hisense and sold at stores including Walmart.
“For many consumers, one of the first things they look for in a streaming service is whether it provides access to their favorite sports,” said John Dixon, senior VP of entertainment for Comcast, in a statement. “With a huge collection of sports-focused channels ranging from local broadcast to national networks covering the biggest and smallest of sports, Fubo is a great addition to the growing catalog of streaming options available on our platforms.”
Added Isaac Josephson, senior VP of product management for Fubo: “Live sports is best enjoyed on the big screen — in fact, 95% of Fubo viewers are watching their favorite content on connected and smart televisions.”
The move certainly won't help improve cord-cutting metrics for Comcast's Xfinity-branded linear video services, which lost more than 2 million customers last year.
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Fubo, for example, carries Bally Sports channels, regional sports networks that have been blacked out on Comcast pay TV services since late-April. Certainly, fans of the Atlanta Braves, Minnesota Twins and other Major League Baseball teams affected by this pay TV renewal impasse can simply call Comcast, ditch Xfinity X1, have the cable company send them a free Xumo Stream Box for their remaining ISP subscription, then sign up for Fubo.
Fubo delivers a base tier of 195 channels, including many RSNs, for $80. By the time fees are factored in, it’s not a cheap “skinny” vMVPD bundle, but it’s certainly less expensive than Full Monty Comcast cable TV service, all sub fees and other gouges considered.
