Venu Sports Launch Delayed Due to Legal Battle
The launch of Venu Sports, a planned sports streaming service produced by ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery Channel, is facing delays after a federal judge granted FuboTV’s motion for a preliminary injunction. The decision comes after a 69-page ruling by U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett of the Southern District of New York, who stated that FuboTV was likely to succeed in proving that the joint venture violated antitrust laws and could cause irreparable harm to both Fubo and consumers.
FuboTV’s Legal Battle and Industry Impact
FuboTV’s lawsuit against ESPN, Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery Channel, and Hulu comes in response to their plans to offer sports streaming services, which were set to launch on February 6. FuboTV claims that it has been attempting to provide a sports-only streaming service for years but has been hindered by bundling demands from the other companies, especially ESPN. In a statement, Fubo co-founder and CEO David Gandler expressed satisfaction with the court ruling, emphasizing the importance of a fair and competitive market for consumers.
Details of the Venu Sports Platform
Venu Sports, scheduled to launch in the fall at a price of $42.99 per month, will include programming from 14 linear networks, such as ESPN, Fox, and TNT, as well as ESPN+. Subscribers will have the option to bundle the service with Disney+, Hulu, and/or Max. While ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery Channel plan to appeal the court’s decision, they remain committed to the joint venture, each owning one-third of the company.
Overall, the ruling has sparked reactions from industry stakeholders, particularly cable and satellite companies, regarding bundling requirements and subscriber fees. The court’s decision is seen as a potential precedent for content licensing negotiations between major programmers and affiliated publishers.
