ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery have decided to cancel plans for Venu Sports, their proposed virtual MVPD service.
The venture was unveiled last February with plans for a fall 2024 launch via a new stand-alone app, with the ability to bundle that subscription with Disney+, Hulu and/or Max, delivering access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ABC, FOX, FS1, FS2, BTN, TNT, TBS and truTV, as well as ESPN+.
The plans ran into immediate resistance, including litigation brought by Fubo that resulted in a preliminary injunction against the launch of the service. The Fubo litigation settled this month when Disney reached a deal to combine its Hulu + Live TV business with the sports-led streaming service, becoming the majority owner of the merged entity.
“After careful consideration, we have collectively agreed to discontinue the Venu Sports joint venture and not launch the streaming service,” Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery said in a joint statement. “In an ever-changing marketplace, we determined that it was best to meet the evolving demands of sports fans by focusing on existing products and distribution channels. We are proud of the work that has been done on Venu to date and grateful to the Venu staff, whom we will support through this transition period.”
