Triple B Media expands FAST channel ecosystem through partnership with Silver Sports & Entertainment for live NHL content
Executive summary: Triple B Media announced a partnership with Silver Sports & Entertainment to operate the SLVR channel, which will feature live Los Angeles Kings games during the 2026-27 season. The addition of live professional sports content to FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) channels increases the value proposition for advertisers and broadens the reach of premium sports leagues through non-subscription models.
Who is involved: Triple B Media, Silver Sports & Entertainment, and the Los Angeles Kings.
Likely next: The rollout of the SLVR channel across various digital platforms ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season.
Triple B Media’s partnership with Silver Sports & Entertainment to integrate SLVR channels marks a calculated escalation in the competition for premium live sports within the Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) landscape. By securing live Los Angeles Kings content starting in the 2026-27 season, Triple B is moving beyond the traditional FAST model of looped library content toward a high-stakes strategy of real-time engagement. This transition is critical because live sports represent one of the last remaining bastions of appointment viewing, offering advertisers a reliable mechanism to capture massive, simultaneous audiences in an increasingly fragmented digital market. The move highlights a broader industry shift where specialized sports entities are bypassing traditional cable bundles to seek direct distribution through ad-supported platforms. As FAST ecosystems mature, the ability to secure localized or niche professional sports rights will become a primary differentiator for network growth. In the near term, this partnership will likely serve as a litmus test for whether specialized sports-centric FAST channels can maintain viewer retention through live broadcast windows, potentially paving the way for more aggressive bidding wars for regional sports rights in the streaming era.
What's next — scenarios
Base: successful expansion of sports FAST content (60%)
Increased ad revenue for Triple B Media and broader viewership for the LA Kings.
- Successful streaming stability during live games
- Consistent ad-fill rates
Upside: major league adoption of FAST models (25%)
Other professional sports leagues sign similar distribution deals with FAST providers.
- High viewership numbers for Kings games
- Multi-year contract extensions
Downside: fragmentation of streaming rights (15%)
Legal disputes over exclusivity rights between traditional cable and FAST platforms.
- Lawsuits from traditional broadcasters
- Exclusive rights clauses being triggered
What to watch
- Launch performance of SLVR during the 2026-27 season
- Viewer engagement metrics for the LA Kings games on FAST platforms
- Ad revenue reports from Triple B Media
Timeline
- — Triple B Media Adds SLVR Sports & Entertainment Featuring Los Angeles Kings Games to Its Portfolio of FAST Channels (PR Newswire)
- — Ben Azelart Expands to FAST Channels on Prime Video and VIZIO WatchFree+ with Play.Works (PR Newswire)
- — SABIO BRINGS ITS CREATOR TV® FAST CHANNEL FEATURING CREATOR-LED PROGRAMMING TO VIZIO WATCHFREE+ (PR Newswire)
- — Fairground Entertainment Launches Industry's First AI-Only FAST Channel (PR Newswire)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- Commencement of the 2026-27 season for live Kings games
Sectors affected
- FAST streaming services
- Sports broadcasting
- Digital advertising
- Professional sports leagues
Historical parallels
- Fairground Entertainment launching AI-only FAST channel in July 2026
- Sabio bringing Creator TV to VIZIO WatchFree+ in August 2026
Key entities
Sources
- Triple B Media Adds SLVR Sports & Entertainment Featuring Los Angeles Kings Games to Its Portfolio of FAST Channels — PR Newswire
- Ben Azelart Expands to FAST Channels on Prime Video and VIZIO WatchFree+ with Play.Works — PR Newswire
- SABIO BRINGS ITS CREATOR TV® FAST CHANNEL FEATURING CREATOR-LED PROGRAMMING TO VIZIO WATCHFREE+ — PR Newswire
- Fairground Entertainment Launches Industry's First AI-Only FAST Channel — PR Newswire