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.
“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.”