Game of Thrones viewers groaned, ranted, and may have even signed a petition or two in response to Season 8, but one thing they may not have done was unsubscribe from HBO, despite an overwhelming number of threats that were made of that variety. At least, that's what one report is suggesting, and it's backed by data that implies HBO didn't lose that many new subscribers once the show ended.
According to app data from HBONow, HBO only experienced a revenue loss of 16% in the post-finale timespan when compared to what it gained from new subscriptions when the season started. It's reported that HBO pulled in about $1.9 million in revenue in the first billing cycle following the premiere, and the billing cycle that followed the season finale topped off at $1.6 million.
That's still a noteworthy drop off, to be sure, but the data suggests that HBO has suffered worse, and without as much vocal opposition guiding it. Using the same process for measurement, it was discovered HBO's revenue comparatively dropped by 22% following Season 5, and by a whopping 40% after Season 6. Seems like people were sticking around for one reason or another.
The data suggests not as many new subscribers cancelled their HBO Now subscriptions in the billing cycle following the finale, as some may have assumed would happen as a result of the widespread backlash. Whether that's actually true is still up in the air.
Variety reported there are some caveats to this data. For example, revenue might only be measured for HBO Now by analyzing those who do their billing through Apple and Google, and not other sources. Also, the stats themselves are just estimates based on app store performance data, and aren't hard numbers.
Additionally, only analyzing data from Apple and Google billing excludes a lot of the other platforms where consumers can purchase HBO Now. People can get HBO Now from game consoles, Smart Television devices, and even their cable television providers. So if this data truly is only looking at a small piece of the overall revenue, it could tell a different story altogether if more details were revealed.
It could also reflect the same results on a larger scale, and show that HBO is doing better at retaining new subscribers following a season of Game of Thrones than it has in the past. As for what may be the cause of this, it's no secret the network's miniseries Chernobyl has captured quite a few headlines for its quality, and acclaimed shows like Big Little Lies may have people holding onto their subscriptions just a bit longer as well.
If true, that's all good news for HBO, as it means the network has consumers holding on to their subscriptions for other content. Of course, execs would probably love to have all that crowd back, but only losing a small chunk of new subscribers following the finale may mean there isn't quite as much pressure to rush that upcoming GoT prequel series to airwaves. We all know how rushing things can affect quality!
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So, who here still has their HBO subscription even now that Game of Thrones is over? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to stick with CinemaBlend for the latest news in television and movies.
