The Trader Harbor
  • Business
  • Politics
  • World News
  • Stocks
  • Business
  • Politics
  • World News
  • Stocks

The Trader Harbor

World News

Disney, Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery call off Venu sports streaming service

by admin January 11, 2025
January 11, 2025
Disney, Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery call off Venu sports streaming service

Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery have called off plans to launch their sports streaming service, Venu, the companies said in a joint statement Friday.

“After careful consideration, we have collectively agreed to discontinue the Venu Sports joint venture and not launch the streaming service,” they said in the statement. “In an ever-changing marketplace, we determined that it was best to meet the evolving demands of sports fans by focusing on existing products and distribution channels. We are proud of the work that has been done on Venu to date and grateful to the Venu staff, whom we will support through this transition period.”

Venu was first announced in February and intended to combine the live sports assets of Fox, WBD and Disney-owned ESPN. It was initially slated to launch before the start of the NFL season in September, but was delayed in part by a legal challenge from internet TV bundler Fubo, which claimed the platform would be anticompetitive.

Together Disney, Fox and WBD control more than 50% of all U.S. sports media rights, and at least 60% of all nationally broadcast U.S. sports rights, according to the judge on the antitrust case.

The news that it would not launch came as a shock to Venu employees, who found out late Thursday night, according to people familiar with the matter. They believed they had a pathway forward to launch the service after Disney agreed earlier this week to merge its Hulu+ Live TV with Fubo, settling all litigation over Venu.

But the judge’s response in Fubo’s lawsuit questioned the legality of cable bundling in general, prompting Disney to strike the deal with Fubo, through which Disney would take 70% control of the resulting company. And two days ago, satellite providers DirecTV and Dish sent letters to federal court arguing that the legal questions brought up by the judge remained unanswered.

Rather than risk an extended lawsuit that could jeopardize bundling in general — including Disney’s efforts to bundle its own streaming entities (ESPN, Hulu and Disney+) — the three companies decided to pull the plug on Venu, according to people familiar with the company’s decisions.

Warner Bros. Discovery’s business model relies heavily on negotiating bundled carriage agreements for its many cable networks, including CNN, TNT, HGTV and Food Network.

Disney is targeting a debut of ESPN “Flagship,” an all-inclusive ESPN streaming service, for August 2025. The still unnamed ESPN streaming service will including everything that airs on ESPN’s linear network, unlike ESPN+.

Disney’s deal with Fubo, along with the company’s recent carriage renewal with DirecTV, also gives the company new ways to package so-called skinny bundles — narrower selections of channels for less money. This was the idea behind Venu: selling a smaller number of linear channels for less money than traditional cable TV.

Disclosure: Comcast, which owns CNBC parent NBCUniversal, is a co-owner of Hulu.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
What Higher Rates Could Mean for the S&P 500
next post
Microsoft confirms performance-based job cuts across departments

Related Posts

Inflation picks up again in June as tariffs...

July 17, 2025

Hermès lawsuit claims luxury retailer reserves its famed...

March 25, 2024

Data center boom in world’s largest market isn’t...

May 3, 2025

Orange juice prices are going through the roof...

May 31, 2024

Equinox launches $40,000 membership to help you live...

May 8, 2024

Family Dollar to close almost 1,000 stores

March 14, 2024

JPMorgan creates new role overseeing junior bankers as...

September 19, 2024

The war on woke: How a gay rights...

December 4, 2024

Trump Media auditor charged by SEC with ‘massive...

May 5, 2024

A lack of child care is keeping this...

July 8, 2024

    Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Latest

    • The Real Drivers of This Market: AI, Semis & Robotics

      August 31, 2025
    • S&P 500 Breaking Out Again: What This Means for Your Portfolio

      August 31, 2025
    • Epstein estate to hand over ‘birthday book’ to lawmakers, House Dem says

      August 31, 2025
    • Dyan Cannon denied White House entry after lying about her age on passport documents

      August 31, 2025
    • Israel eliminates Houthi prime minister in Yemen airstrike targeting senior government officials

      August 31, 2025
    • Sen. Bernie Sanders calls on RFK Jr. to resign following departure of CDC officials

      August 31, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (1,370)
    • Politics (4,370)
    • Stocks (1,619)
    • Uncategorized (45)
    • World News (1,363)
    • About us
    • Contact us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: TheTraderHarbor, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 thetraderharbor.com | All Rights Reserved