Venu Sports launch officially called off by Disney, Fox, WBD  

The launch of Venu Sports, the planned US streaming service that was to pool Disney, Fox and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD)’s suite of American sports rights, has officially been called off.

On Friday, the companies announced they had “collectively agreed” the launch of the streamer would not go ahead.

“After careful consideration, we have collectively agreed to discontinue the Venu Sports joint venture and not launch the streaming service,” said the companies.

“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.”

The decision comes on the same week that Disney acquired Fubo, which had initially raised antitrust concerns about Venu Sports, with satellite TV provide DirecTV subsequently arguing that the Disney-Fubo deal did not alleviate any of the antitrust concerns.

Venu Sports, first unveiled in February 2024, was to have its own distinct management team and offices. It had been tied up in litigation since last summer when Fubo first announced its formal intention to sue on antitrust grounds.