Starting February 1, 2024, the Max streaming service (formerly HBO Max) will offer live streaming bicycle racing coverage through the subscription Bleacher Report ("B/R Sports") add-on. With GCN+ ceasing operations, that leaves the new Max / Bleacher Report streaming services as one of the primary streaming options for cycling fans in the USA. Let's take a look at how much the Max / Bleacher Report service will cost, features, race coverage, and some more pros and cons:
Which cycling races will be on the Max service with Bleacher Report add-on?
Thus far, the B/R Sports schedule includes:
- the Giro d’Italia
- the UCI Mountain Bike World Series and Track Champions League
- Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
- E3 Classic
- Strade Bianche
- Tirreno–Adriatico
- Milan–San Remo
- Tour of the Basque Country
- Il Lombardia
- Superprestige, X2O Trofee, and Exact Cross cyclocross events
It's also worth noting what you WON'T find on Bleacher Report:
- the Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders, and La Vuelta (those are on Peacock)
- the UCI Cyclocross World Cup, and UCI Cyclocross World Championship (FloBikes has the streaming rights)
How much does Max with the B/R Sports add-on cost?
As of January 26, 2024, a monthly subscription to Max is offered in 3 tiers:
- "With Ads" for $9.99 a month
- "Ad Free" for $15.99 a month
- "Ultimate Ad Free" for $19.99 a month
Take 15-20% off those prices, if you're willing to lock in for a year instead of month-to-month.
You'll also need a separate subscription to Bleacher Report. For new and existing Max subscribers Bleacher Report is currently included "for a limited time." but becomes a paid service at $9.99 / month, starting February 29, 2024.
UPDATED MARCH 1 - the March 1 deadline to subscribe to Bleacher Report came and went, with parent company Warner Bros Discovery citing delays related to "tech integration" slowing the rollout, so the Bleacher Report add-on remains free to MAX subscribers at this time. A pause of several months is planned, which means that content like March Madness, NBA and NHL playoffs (and bicycle racing!) will continue to be available without a Bleacher Report subscription for several more months. Good news!
Do these streams have ads?
Yes, live sports still has ads, no matter which Max tier you subscribe to. You still get the ads, like you'd see on TNT or TBS or Eurosport - if the feed provider puts them there. "Ad Free" just means no additional ads, beyond those already in the source material. It's not yet clear whether Bleacher Report will insert additional ads into their stream, beyond those in the source material - confused yet?
Have a look at the UAE Women's race February 8th for an idea of what to expect going forward.
When does cycling coverage start on Bleacher Report through Max?
Bleacher Report's live cycling coverage doesn't start until February 8th... that means that you'll have about 3 weeks during which you can watch live cycling on Bleacher Report using your Max subscription, without having to subscribe seperately to B/R Sports.
Starting Feb. 29, you'll need a subscription to both Max AND Bleacher Report ("B/R Sports") to continue watching cycling.
Is Max / Bleacher report in high definition? What about 4K?
The "With Ads" and "Ad Free" tiers are claimed to be in "high-def", but no specific resolution is listed, so expect 1080 or even 720p, even if the source material is available in a higher resolution, like 4K.
"Ultimate Ad Free" specifically includes 4K, subject to availability of the source material of course. Subscribing to "Ultimate Ad Free" will not magically make lower-resolution source material magically appear in 4K. If you have a fancy new 4K TV, I'd recommend taking a look at Bleacher Report content during the free trial period to get an idea of what resolution the cycling coverage is typically in.
What else, besides cycling, is on Bleacher Report?
Subscribers to the Max service with the B/R Sports add-on get a bunch of other sports beyond cycling... this is a pro, in that you get more, but a con, because if you only want to watch cycling, you're paying for content (arguably, more expensive content - like the NBA) that you may not be interested in at all.
This includes select live games from the MLB, NHL, NBA; NCAA Men's March Madness, soccer, and golf. Note - this is only select games/matches, not all - Discovery has claimed "more than 300 per year", for reference. Generally, these will be games that you would have found on the TNT, TBS, and TruTV channels on cable/satellite.
Can I subscribe to Bleacher Report for cycling, without subscribing to Max?
Sadly, no. The Bleacher Report add-on is only available to customers who already subscribe to Max on a monthly or annual basis.
What about the TNT or TBS apps?
Creative viewers might wonder, if Bleacher Report is a way to watch NBA / NHL / MLB games that are also on TNT and TBS channels, can I do the reverse, and watch cycling using the TNT / TBS apps, and skip Bleacher Report? It does not appear so. The cycling content will only be on Bleacher Report.
What if I don't like Max / Bleacher Report for cycling?
The primary alternatives to Max / Bleacher Report are Peacock and FloBikes. Note: these services will carry different content with little to no overlap, so they aren't necessarily direct competitors. You can watch cycling... but not the same races.
Carefully check their schedules of coverage before deciding which (or both) you will subscribe to. For cyclocross fans in particular, note that FloBikes has the rights to the World Cup and World Championships, while Max / Bleacher Report will have the rights to most other cyclocross, like the Superprestige and X2O Badkamers Trofee series. Don't subscribe to Peacock for 2024/25 if you only care about watching cyclocross.
How did cycling end up on Max and Bleacher Report, anyway?
The GCN+ streaming service (now defunct) was the leader in live and on-demand subscription cycling streaming for the United States. GCN was a part of Play Sports Network, which was in turned owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.
Max is another business unit under the Warner Bros. Discovery corporate umbrella. When Warner Bros. Discovery folded the GCN+ service, some of the content formerly distributed by GCN+ was moved to the Max service with the Bleacher Report add-on.