After months of anticipation, Venu Sports appears to be moving closer to its official launch.
Disney and Fubo recently announced a settlement allowing Disney’s Hulu + Live TV service to merge with the multichannel video programming distributor. This agreement, along with a separate deal between Fox and Fubo, resolved legal challenges that had delayed the launch of Venu Sports—a joint venture between ESPN, Fox Sports, and TNT Sports. As part of the settlement, the three companies will collectively pay Fubo $220 million.
According to Mollie Callihane of Sports Business Journal, Venu Sports is expected to announce a launch date soon, potentially ahead of ESPN’s planned debut of its direct-to-consumer service “Flagship” in the fall. Speculation suggests Venu could launch as early as February 9, in time for Super Bowl LIX.
Despite the legal delays, Venu has been actively developing its technology and hiring staff to prepare for its rollout. Once operational, Venu will join ESPN’s expanding streaming portfolio, which will include “Flagship” and the Hulu + Live TV collaboration with Fubo, all set to debut throughout 2025.
Venu Sports has previously announced a subscription price of $42.99 per month. Subscribers will gain access to extensive sports programming from ESPN, Fox, and TNT Sports, including the full NBA season, MLB postseason coverage, and popular daily studio shows like First Take and The Herd.
The original lawsuit by Fubo alleged that Venu and its stakeholders engaged in anti-competitive practices by setting artificially low prices and carriage rates for the new service. According to Fubo CEO David Gandler, Disney, Fox, and TNT Sports allegedly manipulated pricing to disadvantage other carriers, inflating rates for traditional distributors like Fubo while underpricing Venu’s offerings.
Rather than pursuing a trial, Disney opted to resolve the dispute by acquiring Fubo. With the settlement in place, Venu Sports is now set to move forward unimpeded, potentially launching in time to capitalize on the audience for Fox’s Super Bowl LIX broadcast.
