According to The Hollywood Reporter, FuboTV has won a bid to block Venu Sports from launching as planned. U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett decided that Venu Sports would “substantially lessen competition and restrain trade.” In February 2024, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox Corporation announced plans to launch a new streaming service combining media properties from all three companies to provide consumers an “all-in-one” sports viewing experience, according to mxdwn. However, soon after the announcement, FuboTV filed a one billion dollar antitrust lawsuit against the three companies under complaints that the new service will have an “iron grip on sports content to extract billions of dollars in supra-competitive profits” from both viewers subscribing and in higher licensing rates for Fubo only, as per mxdwn.

The new service Venu Sports was in route to launch Fall 2024, merging 14 sports-centric channels “ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ABC, FOX, FS1, FS2, BTN, TNT, TBS and truTV” at the cost of $42.99 a month for subscribers via mxdwn. According to mxdwn, CEO of Disney, Bob Iger (One Day at Disney, The Imagineering Story) said the merger is “an important step forward for the media business,” but FuboTV had the opposite to say. Fubo stated, “Every consumer in America should be concerned about the intent behind this joint venture and its impact on fair market competition. This joint venture spotlights a concerning trend where an alliance with significant market share, reportedly controlling 60-85% of all sports content, could dictate market terms in a manner that may not serve the broader interests of consumers” via mxdwn. 

David Gandler (Biker Mice From Mars) Fubo chief executive, said after the ruling that “The proposed joint venture was only the latest example of anticompetitive practices that The Walt Disney Company, FOX Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery have consistently engaged in for many years,” he said in a statement. “We believe these practices monopolize the market, stifle competition and cheat consumers from deserved choice” via The Hollywood Reporter.

While there is a block on the new service for now, Fox, Disney and Warner Bros. plan to appeal the order, stating, “We believe that Fubo’s arguments are wrong on the facts and the law, and that Fubo has failed to prove it is legally entitled to a preliminary injunction,” it added. “Venu Sports is a pro-competitive option that aims to enhance consumer choice by reaching a segment of viewers who currently are not served by existing subscription options,” as per The Hollywood Reporter.

Judge Garnett made this ruling August 16, 2024. While the ruling prevents Venu Sports from launching, the battle between sports streaming services is only the beginning.