HBO Max is no more, but don't worry: It's only a rebrand for the streaming service.
HBO Max's merger with Discovery+ will create a fresh streaming service named Max, with an updated logo and potentially new content in the near future.
Sports fans might not flock to HBO Max like they do to services that routinely broadcast live sports, but indications are that the rebrand could offer some new content for sports fans. In addition to potentially adding live sports, HBO Max already features notable sports movies and documentaries that will be packaged under the new name.
Here's what sports fans need to know about HBO Max's rebrand and what content is available on the streaming service right now.
Does Max have live sports?
While it isn't clear precisely which live sports could be included in the rebrand, Warner Bros. recently announced that live sports are expected to be added to Max at some point in the near future.
The corporation didn't reveal an exact timeline or say what would be added, but there are two possibilities in play. It's possible Max could allow viewers to stream live sports already broadcast on cable networks, and it's also possible Max could host exclusive sporting events the same way Amazon Prime hosts "Thursday Night Football" and Apple TV+ hosts exclusive MLB games.
While Max wasn't known for live sports under its previous name, it did stream U.S. Men's Soccer games earlier in 2023. HBO was also known for pay-per-view boxing, which it broadcasted for 45 years. HBO dropped boxing in late 2018, citing an increase in streaming options that made boxing more widely available to viewers.
"It is now widely available on a host of networks and streaming services. There is more boxing than ever being televised and distributed," HBO said in a statement when it dropped the sport.
Now, the door is open for live sports to return as HBO Max becomes Max.
How to watch live sports on Max
Any live sports added to Max will likely require a subscription. iPhone and iPad users will also need to download the new Max app when the rebrand occurs on May 23.
Under the new branding, users have three options to subscribe to Max:
- Max's "Ad-lite" plan is $9.99 per month or $99.99 for the entire year.
- To go ad-free, subscribers would have to pay $15.99 per month or $149.99 for the entire year.
- Max is also offering a "Max Ultimate Ad Free" plan for $19.99 per month or $199.99 for the full year.
Best sports movies on Max
| Rank | Movie | Rotten Tomatoes rating |
| 1 | "When We Were Kings" | 98% |
| 2 | "Hoop Dreams" | 98% |
| 3 | "The Wrestler" | 98% |
| 4 | "Bull Durham" | 97% |
| 5 | "Raging Bull" | 93% |
| 6 | "Million Dollar Baby" | 90% |
| 7 | "Dodgeball" | 71% |
| 8 | "The Blind Side" | 66% |
| 9 | "Draft Day" | 60% |
"When We Were Kings"
"When We Were Kings" is presented as a documentary that tells the story of the famous 1974 fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. The film includes interviews with several key figures and took two decades to finally release.
"Hoop Dreams"
A documentary-style movie, "Hoop Dreams" follows two real youth basketball players attempting to rise from poverty to a college basketball scholarship.
"The Wrestler"
"The Wrestler" focuses on an aging wrestler who, despite poor health, continues to wrestle in search of his past glory. At the same time, he has to mend personal relationships.
"Bull Durham"
"Bull Durham" tells a fictional story centered around the real minor-league baseball Durham Bulls. The film stars Kevin Costner, who plays minor-league catcher Crash Davis, who joins the team and falls in love with a woman who initially spends her time with one of the team's pitchers, Nuke Laloosh (Tim Robbins).
"Raging Bull"
Starring Robert De Niro, "Raging Bull" tells the story of a middleweight boxer who has to balance his rise to the top in his sport with maintaining his relationships outside the ring.
"Million Dollar Baby"
Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman star in a film that highlights an amateur female boxer's ascension to the top of the sport. Eastwood serves as her lonely but wise trainer.
"Dodgeball"
Gym owners, played by Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn, join a dodgeball tournament in order to prevent their gym from being run out of business by a more upscale competitor.
"The Blind Side"
"The Blind Side" tells the true story of offensive tackle Michael Oher, a struggling teen who became a football standout after he was adopted by the Tuohy family. Starring Sandra Bullock, who plays Oher's adoptive mother, the film details how Oher landed a football scholarship at Ole Miss. He later won a Super Bowl with the Ravens.
"Draft Day"
"Draft Day" blends fact with fiction, as Kevin Costner plays the fictional general manager of the very real Cleveland Browns. Days after his father's death, he wheels and deals before the NFL Draft and has to regain the trust of the team and its fans.
HBO sports documentaries
| Title | Sport |
| "Hard Knocks" | NFL |
| "Shaq" | NBA |
| "Tiger" | Golf |
| "What's My Name | Muhammad Ali" | Boxing |
| "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" | NBA |
| "Being Serena" | Tennis |
"Hard Knocks"
"Hard Knocks" has long been HBO's most prominent sports series, following a different NFL team throughout training camp and the preseason each year. HBO introduced an in-season edition of the show in 2021. The first season of that followed the Indianapolis Colts while the second in 2022 followed the Arizona Cardinals.
"Shaq"
"Shaq" tells the story of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal through detailed interviews.
"Tiger"
Tiger Woods has one of the most compelling stories in recent sports history, and "Tiger" attempts to tell it from his epic rise to his darkest days and inspiring comeback.
"What's My Name | Muhammad Ali"
Like Woods, Ali is an icon of his sport and made as many headlines out of the ring as he did in the ring. "What's My Name" is a two-part series that tells his story.
"Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty"
"Winning Time" is one of HBO's most recent sports documentaries, telling the story of the Lakers' 1980 dynasty and the polarizing personalities that defined the run.
"Being Serena"
"Being Serena" is a five-part documentary series that focuses on tennis legend Serena Williams' pregnancy and how she managed to balance being a mother with staying at the top of her game.