As conventional television networks are losing viewership like lambs to the slaughter, live streaming networks are gaining widespread popularity. Most recently, New York-based FuboTV got into the ring.
In this day and age, it wasn’t a wrong move, but the company was up against some established names in the business such as Hulu, PlayStation Vue, and Sling TV. These big names had all the capacity and resources to squeeze new arrivals like a teenage pimple.
However, FuboTV survived by absorbing all the initial blows that most startups fail to endure. That being said, it still faces stiff competition from deep-pocketed OTT services.
What is FuboTV?
For the sake of facts, FuboTV has been around since January 2015. Back then, it didn’t have a laundry list of features. For the many people reading this, it started out as a sports streaming service for soccer fans. As such, it isn’t a free service. It’s a paid Internet TV service. We will come to the pricing in a little while. As admitted by FuboTV’s co-founder and CEO, David Gandler, soccer helped them break into the market, but they have pivoted from their main mission. Although soccer will always be their number one priority, they are no longer confined to sports streaming.
As admitted by FuboTV’s co-founder and CEO, David Gandler, soccer helped them break into the market, but they have pivoted from their main mission. Although soccer will always be their number one priority, they are no longer confined to sports streaming.
For a two-year-old company, it has created a lot of buzz in the industry. In its mission to be the best in its class, FuboTV offers other channels as well. More diverse sports, news, and entertainment related content have been incorporated into their platform for the sake of expansion.
In a nutshell, it has entered into the mainstream platform to send shivers down the competitor’s spine. So, it’s no longer a niche focused platform. Let us give you a walk around of this live TV streaming bombshell through this FuboTV review.
What does the new FuboTV have in store?
For a soccer fan, this platform is a no-brainer choice. Although it’s geared towards people who like sports, it offers a host of other entertaining channels as well. The new FuboTV offers 70 plus channels at an affordable monthly rate. Their new lineup includes a huge list of major channels such as HGTV, Travel Chanel, DIY Network, SBS Sports, Pop, Cooking Channel, CBSN, and others. The existing TV channels such as National Geographic, FXX, CNBC, Golf, CSN, and
Their new lineup includes a huge list of major channels such as HGTV, Travel Chanel, DIY Network, SBS Sports, Pop, Cooking Channel, CBSN, and others. The existing TV channels such as National Geographic, FXX, CNBC, Golf, CSN, and many more are still a part of the channel’s portfolio. They have been adding a lot more channels lately. So, it’s no longer the skinny bundle of channels it used to be in the past. They have almost doubled their offerings of channels in a very short period of time. You can pretty much fire your cable company right away.
They have been adding a lot more channels lately. So, it’s no longer the skinny bundle of channels it used to be in the past. They have almost doubled their offerings of channels in a very short period of time. You can pretty much fire your cable company right away.
FuboTV Features
The picture quality is next to none. It’s simply unmatched, to say the least. Each and every channel is displayed on full HD 1080p goodness. This is one of the prime reasons why their subscription rate has stayed so high. Every single channel which is live shows up on the left-hand side. So, navigating through different channels isn’t a big deal for first-timers.
It has a digital channel guide that tells you what’s going on. It also displays a brief schedule about what’s coming up. So, it’s easy to stay up to date on their platform. All you need to do is scroll down, and it shows all the major matches happening at that moment.
This one is a real tycoon feature. FuboTV can be seen all over the place. All major devices are covered, be it TV, mobile, tablet, or PC. You can watch your favorite channel anywhere on the go without throwing an arm and a leg.
Moreover, it also allows one to catch up with plays that one might have missed. In fact, the recording is a piece of cake on their interface. All thanks to the Lookback feature for making this possible. The feature allows one to record up to 10 programs, which can be saved for ten days. So, if you miss something that was aired in the last 72 hours, the Lookback feature will help you catch up with the missed content in a moment’s notice. A few mouse clicks and you are good to save the recordings for later viewing.
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FuboTV Headlines
Little by little, FuboTV kept signing deals to scale up to the next level. The recent deal was a biggie by all means. It was a punch in the gut of all its major competitors. Believe it or not, FuboTV raised a jaw dropping sum of $55 million in Series C funding. Ever since their inception, they have raised a grand total of $75.6 million.
Fortunately for the investors, FuboTV seems to be making all the smart moves to be a premier live TV streaming destination. The company is clearly pressing on to be better than yesterday. With millions to blow, the subscriber-based service will surely look to reach to a wider audience.
If we were to steal words from the mouth of the CEO, David Gandler, this is what he had to say after securing the $55 million funding. “Our goal is to use the capital to improve the viewing experience by adding new content and development of key features directed at all the sports fans out there, and to vastly improve on our marketing efforts.” From the previous funding of $6 million from Sky and 21st Century Fox, both companies have board positions in FuboTV. So, they have a safe pair of eyes to watch over their operations.
With some major leagues in the pipeline in 2018, the company has sufficient time to bring in their ‘A’ game to leave the competitors gasping behind for breath.
What’s the User Experience like?
The user experience is a breeze for the most part. Unlike other inferior live streaming channels, one doesn’t have to wait for light-years for the channels to load. On the FuboTV interface, everything loads up pretty quick, and there is no buffering whatsoever.
At a time, users can stream content from two devices. It may not have the most beautiful interface, but the platform is simple, clean, easy-to-use, and robust. Most importantly, it works 24/7. Despite the fact that they have increased their offerings, they haven’t cluttered their interface. That being said, some of the content is only available in the US (you can use a
That being said, some of the content is only available in the US (you can use a VPN to circumvent region blocking). Moreover, the early adopters did face some technical issues, but those issues are sorted out by now. Other than a few occasional seconds of buffering, one can expect stunning quality and quick streaming services at any hour of the day.
For all the sports fans out there, FuboTV has suddenly become a very popular option, especially because the network bundles up major entertainment and news channels as well. The FuboTV proliferation has certainly created a wave of a storm. Its progress has been quite impressive. More and more people are seen shutting off their cable and satellite services. Such network owners are forced to think about new ways to recapture their lost audience.
On the other hand, FuboTV still has its fingers on the trigger as it aims to drive further innovation in the industry to make it a win-win situation for both the consumers and the programmers. They are all set to beef up their subscriber base like never before.
What are the Pain Points?
There aren’t too many potholes or rough edges with this service. However, the company has not been able to latch on to ESPN yet. Yes, it’s a rather surprising omission in their content package. Without ESPN, the platform lacks the icing on the cake factor. This isn’t to say that they are miles away from securing a deal with ESPN. According to the company, they are in talks with ESPN to rope them into their interface. So, there is a possibility that you might be able to see ESPN on their platform very soon. Until then, it’s a cliffhanger situation for the majority of the avid ESPN fans out there.
Another pain point would be the numbers on the balance sheet. Just like the majority of the other startups out there, the company isn’t profitable yet. That being said, their humble days are left far behind, which is apparent from their growing revenue. Their estimated revenue from subscriptions alone is expected to be in millions down the road. As such, they have only focused on monetization through subscription at the moment.
Slow Streams or Buffering?
Are your streams loading too slow? Getting constant buffering? Not able to stream at full resolution? Check out these tips to improve your streaming experience:
- Use a modern Router that has advanced features like QoS to prioritize video content. Check out our recommended Routers for Streaming.
- If you are using a Wifi connection, be sure to check out our 9 easy steps to improve your Wifi for Streaming.
- Some Internet Service Providers throttle video streaming traffic without telling their customers. A VPN encrypts all your traffic and circumvents throttling, blocking and geographical restrictions.
The infusion of new funds from the recent round of funding will definitely help them expand their marketing efforts and increase their offerings as well. These guys seem to be following the footsteps of Amazon, hoping to blow money first and then make much more in the later stages. Judging by its growth, it won’t be surprising to learn that FuboTV manages to retire some of its counterparts.
FuboTV Pricing?
Compared to its competition, FuboTV is available at a shoestring cost. With 70+ channels, subscribers get an awesome deal for $34.99 a month. This is an entry level introductory offer price. The regular rates are $49.99 a month. The company plans to go back to the regular rates at some point in the near future. Additional channels can be availed at various price points. The add-on subscriptions are priced between $2.99 and $14.99 per month.
Subscribers are given the liberty to cancel their monthly payment plan at their will and wish. There would be no binding obligation from the company’s end. Basically, it’s trying to whitewash the age-old days of penalty and fees for premature cancellation of services.
By all means, FuboTV is trying to change the live TV streaming landscape. One can pretty much show the middle finger to services that charge too much or levy service cancellation fees. There are about 34 sports channels, which means one can have access to almost all the major leagues and federations be it soccer, rugby, cricket, or college games.
Moreover, they offer a free 7-days trial to test their service. One can easily check out a few games on their platform without spending a dime. It’s a nice way to explore their services without committing to anything. Most of the current subscribers seem deliriously happy with the current services. For consumers, it’s the Rolls-Royce of live TV streaming.
Final Words
FuboTV is going pretty strong. They are showing no signs of slowing down. While there is cutthroat competition in their niche, FuboTV seems undeterred for the most part. Of course, there are some minor hiccups in their services as well. But, they continue to improve and grow, which is quite essentially a hallmark of any growing company. Judging by its current growth and market reputation, it would be easy for anyone to state that FuboTV could be a mega-success in its domain. It may not essentially be the biggest thing in the entire live TV streaming industry, but it has great scope to be a leading sports-centric streaming service.
The company has already taken off on a bright note, and things appear positive in the eyes of general public. The recent funding of $55 million is another strong signal that subtly implies that everything is going well from the management front as well. After all, no investor out there is going to invest millions of dollars on a money pothole.
That being said, only time can tell us how far they will go from here. We have all seen companies collapse at the speed of sand slipping from one’s hands. From sudden burst in pricing to the inability to cope up with the growing customer base, many reasons could pop up out of nowhere to slay a company several feet under the ground. So, it’s always premature for anyone to judge a company’s future. At the moment, the company seems to have a headstrong approach and direction. Not to forget the fact that they have sufficient marketing funds at their disposal. So, they could potentially create more positive waves down the road. Hopefully, the benefits would be passed on to the consumers so that it turns out to be a win-win situation for everyone involved.
On an optimistic note, this FuboTV review might have given a good insight into the company’s profile. If you are on the fence, you can always try out their 7-days free trial to explore their services. After all, you have nothing to lose.
Last update on 2024-11-16 at 10:19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
