Venu, the sports streaming service collaboration from Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox, might not see the light of day.
A judge decided on Friday to halt the launch of Venu after Fubo argued it would hurt competition. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fubo had filed a lawsuit six months ago claiming that they were forced to include many expensive non-sports networks to get sports rights from these companies. They said Venu would make things worse for competition.
Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox plan to challenge this ruling. They said in a statement shared by Variety:
We respectfully disagree with the court’s ruling and are appealing it. 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. 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.
The plan was for Venu to launch this fall with the start of the NFL season. It was first announced in February and promised access to channels like ESPN, ABC, Fox, TNT, and many others. Subscribers could watch live games from NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, plus events like MMA fights and NASCAR races.
Fans sometimes feel frustrated when they have fewer choices.
The initial cost for Venu was set at $42.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. Those who signed up early would keep that price for a year and could cancel anytime.
Oh well! Let’s see how this all plays out in the end!
