Sling TV continues to lose subscribers and loses 55,000 subscribers in the second quarter

Dish today announced that its streaming service Sling TV dropped subscribers in the second quarter of 2022, with a net loss of 55,000. This differs significantly from the first. quarter of 2022, where it had lost 234,000 subscribers. However, this is the third consecutive quarter that it has recorded a decline.

The figure was also less negative than in the second quarter of 2021, when Sling TV lost 65,000 subscribers. Today, Sling has a total of 2.197 million subscribers, down 242,000 from 2.439 million in the second quarter of last year. In Q1 2022, Sling TV had a total of 2.252 million, for comparison.

The company wrote in a regulatory filing, "The decrease in net subscribers to Sling TV was primarily related to an increase in subscriber disconnects as a result of seasonal sports activities. We continue to experience increased competition, including competition from other providers of subscription video-on-demand services and live linear OTT services."

Although Sling TV is considered one of the first live TV streaming services, launched in 2015, it still hasn't beaten Google in the streaming wars. YouTube TV continues to be a live TV streaming service to watch after revealing it passed the 5 million subscriber mark, including those on trial. Disney reported in its Q1 2022 report that Hulu Live TV has 4.3 million subscribers – but it only includes paid subscribers in its numbers.

Sling TV still beats FuboTV, which has 1.05 million subscribers. Philo has approximately 800,000 subscribers.

The company has focused on building customer loyalty with new content, such as the free Elvis Presley channel, which launched in June. Additionally, in July, Sling TV provided customers with free previews of premium streaming services through its "Freeview Weekends," which include AMC+, EPIX, Sundance Now, Hallmark Movies Now, and more.