Earlier this year, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that truTV would be converted into a sports network by adding studio shows and more to its lineup.
Starting this fall, truTV and Max will feature a nightly slate of live sports events, including exclusive games from the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament and MotoGP races. The channel will also offer alternative broadcasts of NBA, MLB, and NHL games originally aired on TNT and TBS, enhancing the viewing experience with unique perspectives and commentary. This will all start tonight with MLB games on Max and truTV.
MLB Tuesdays Sept. Schedule across TBS, truTV & Max:
| Date | Time (ET) | Program/Game & Commentators | Platform |
| Tuesday, Sept. 3 | 6:30 p.m. | MLB Leadoff Curtis Granderson, Pedro Martinez, Jimmy Rollins & Greg Amsinger | TBS, Max |
| 7-11 p.m. | MLB Race to the Pennant Alanna Rizzo & Yonder Alonso | truTV, Max | |
| 7 p.m. | Boston Red Sox* at New York Mets* Brian Anderson & Jeff Francoeur | TBS, Max | |
| Postgame | MLB Closer Granderson, Martinez, Rollins, & Amsinger | TBS, Max | |
| Tuesday, Sept. 10 | 6:30 p.m. | MLB Leadoff | TBS, Max |
| 7-11 p.m. | MLB Race to the Pennant | truTV, Max | |
| 7 p.m. | Baltimore Orioles* at Boston Red Sox* | TBS, Max | |
| 10 p.m. | Chicago Cubs* at Los Angeles Dodgers* | TBS, Max | |
| Postgame | MLB Closer | TBS, Max | |
| Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 7 p.m. | MLB Leadoff | TBS, Max |
| 7-9:30 p.m. | MLB Race to the Pennant | truTV, Max | |
| 7:30 p.m. | Philadelphia Phillies* at Milwaukee Brewers* | TBS, Max | |
| 9:30 p.m. | Houston Astros* at San Diego Padres* | truTV, Max | |
| Postgame | MLB Closer | TBS, Max | |
| Tuesday, Sept. 24 | 6:30 p.m. | MLB Leadoff | TBS, Max |
| 7-9:30 p.m. | MLB Race to the Pennant | truTV, Max | |
| 7 p.m. | Baltimore Orioles* at New York Yankees* | TBS, Max | |
| 9:30 p.m. | San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers* | TBS, Max | |
| Postgame | MLB Closer | TBS, Max |
*Game telecast will not be available in the indicated local market.
This is all part of a bigger move for more networks to cover sports as it is one of the few things people still watch live resulting in higher ad revenues.
This also comes as truTV will be rebranded during primetime to TNT Sports. The rebranding will introduce several new shows to the TNT Sports lineup, including:
- TNT Sports Update: A 30-minute sports news show airing at 6 p.m.
- The Line: A sports betting show at 6:30 p.m.
- Handles: A late-night program focused on the NBA.
These additions are designed to provide comprehensive coverage and analysis, catering to the diverse interests of sports fans. The integration of truTV into the TNT Sports brand aims to create a unified sports offering, enhancing the viewing experience and driving growth for Warner Bros. Discovery’s sports division.
Programming Adjustments
As part of the rebranding, truTV’s flagship show, “Impractical Jokers,” will transition to TBS this summer. This move is part of a broader effort to consolidate comedy programming on TBS, while truTV focuses exclusively on sports. This realignment reflects a larger trend in the cable TV industry, where networks are redefining their content strategies to address the challenges of cord cutting and changing viewer preferences.
The rebranding of truTV comes at a time when many smaller and mid-sized cable channels are reassessing their programming strategies. Recent developments, such as Disney’s decision to drop several channels from Charter Spectrum, underscore the evolving dynamics of the cable TV market. Warner Bros. Discovery’s decision to pivot truTV towards sports programming is a proactive response to these industry trends, aiming to leverage the growing demand for live sports content.