WBD CEO David Zaslav: HBO Max Price Increase Expected

Warner Bros Discovery CEO, David Zaslav, believes that HBO Max is undervalued based on the quality of content it offers. He mentioned at a recent conference in San Francisco that he wants to gradually increase the price of HBO Max to better reflect its worth to consumers. In the past, HBO Max pricing has seen incremental increases, with the ad-free plan going from $15 to $17 per month. While Zaslav didn’t specify a target price, some industry insiders suggest $20 per month for ad-free access.

However, the planned divestiture of Warner Bros Discovery’s cable networks business, which will become Discovery Global, might complicate future price increases. The separation could potentially lead to TNT Sports programming being pulled from HBO Max. On the other hand, Paramount is reportedly preparing a merger offer that could include CBS Sports and TNT Sports, possibly enhancing the value of Paramount Plus and HBO Max if sports offerings are combined.

Despite these potential changes, HBO Max also offers a $10 per month ad-supported version without live sports content. As Warner Bros Discovery aims to convert freeloaders to paying customers, this tier could become more significant in the future. Zaslav mentioned that the company is focusing on building relationships with viewers through content before implementing stricter measures like password sharing crackdowns.

While the future of HBO Max pricing and content offerings may be influenced by corporate decisions and competition in the industry, Warner Bros Discovery is dedicated to providing a quality streaming experience for viewers to enjoy their content globally.