Disney has acquired a majority stake in Fubo, a sports streaming platform, and plans to merge it with its Hulu + Live TV service. As part of the deal, Fubo’s antitrust lawsuit against Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) over Venu, a joint venture sports app, has been settled.
Under the agreement, Fubo will gain access to channels that appeal to sports fans, including Disney’s premier sports networks. The new Sports & Broadcast service on Fubo will feature ABC, ESPN, and other popular sports channels. Fubo will also receive $220 million in aggregate cash payments from Disney, Fox, and WBD upon the deal’s closure.
The merger is subject to regulatory approval, shareholder approval, and other customary closing conditions, with a expected closure time of 12-18 months. This marks a significant shift for Fubo, which previously argued that Disney and Fox forced it to pay for unwanted channels as part of its antitrust lawsuit.
Source: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/disney-makes-antitrust-problem-go-away-by-buying-majority-stake-in-competitor