I think Google is trying to do exactly that. They are laying fiber down everywhere they can and they own Youtube. They recently poached NFL Sunday Ticket and Youtube TV is one of the prominent 'live TV' streaming services. You can currently subscribe to Max, Paramount+, Showtime, and Starz through your Youtube TV plan. I'd be shocked if they weren't trying to get deals with Netflix and all the other streamers who don't offer their own live TV service to create a one-stop 'bundle all your favorite streamers here' service.
In regards to Google Fiber, their speeds may be among the best but at this time they are not really a top dog in the internet service provider market. They are just way off the subscriber numbers. It may have been their intent back in 2010 when they launched to become one. There was certainly fear in the industry that they would do just that as they expanded quickly. However, by 2016 they paused for five years not laying any Fiber until the end of 2022. 5G internet, and multiple rounds of 2009 stimulus money has connected much of America with high speed internet by now. The areas Google Fiber targeted in 2022 when they began expansion again were mainly areas they wouldn’t be in direct competition with cable companies and other high speed internet providers and hadn’t been targeted by rural stimulus speeding yet. The whole industry is waiting for the next round of government spending next year that will include BABA and BEAD funding adding spending in urban and suburban areas to increase affordability and competition. With more competition and choice it unlikely Google makes any big expansions like they did back in 2012. Most user don’t need the high speeds they are offering anyways a half a gig to a gig is plenty.
I agree Google may well may be trying to be the “One Stop” for streaming with YouTube TV. It’s between them Netflix and Disney/Hulu right now on who becomes the next SoundCloud/Apple Music/Spotify. Although I think it may take longer for that to play out since there isn’t the pressure of piracy and dropping revenues that made the RIAA and independent artist so quick to sign on to music streaming services and digital sales.
Right now though everyone (like paramount) who has any type of IP has sunk cost from setting up their own streaming services and no incentive to lease to one of the big three. They may lease one season of content to the big three hoping you get hooked and pay for their streaming service for the other season(s). This everyone with thier own streaming service will continue until a recession or something makes a massive correction/merger in the industry imho. The convergence users want probably will take awhile to happen and likely will result in even higher prices since less competition. Be careful what you wish for I guess.
I hope someone like Apple or Amazon grabs the NHL network like the deal for MLS. As I think it would be a mistake for the Blues ownership to invest in their own streaming platform for Blues games. The price would probably be prohibitive for most fans and the eventual collapse of the system would cause them to loose money they perhaps couldn’t afford. Stillman and company are not billionaires.
Hopefully something to bring Hockey under one roof happens soon at a reasonable price. I too miss the good ol' days of KPLR simplicity.
