The battle for Australia’s Home of HBO – and why too many streaming services could squeeze out Foxtel and Stan

Being the ‘Home of HBO’ – and by extension, the Australian home of Game of Thrones and other must-see shows – has been a major drawcard for Foxtel and Binge. Photograph: Pictorial Press/Alamy

This week executives from Warner Bros Discovery are in Australia to meet with key executives from Nine and Foxtel to discuss licensing HBO content, according to a report in the Nine newspapers. The outcomes of these meetings could have serious implications for the future of Foxtel and Stan as we know them.

Australia is not short on subscription streaming options. There are market leaders such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Foxtel/Binge/Kayo and Stan, along with smaller players like AMC+, Paramount+, Hayu, Shudder and BritBox. It’s already too many for a relatively small market to sustain.