Venu Sports is facing a roadblock that can ultimately delay its planned launch in the United States later this fall. The super streaming app has reportedly been blocked in court by a federal judge in New York.
This stems from the antitrust lawsuit that Fubo TV Inc. has filed against the three companies behind this touted "all-in-one sports streaming service," which are Disney, Fox Corporation, and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Disney, Fox, and WBD's Venu Sports is Blocked in Court
(Photo : ESPN)
Judge Margaret Garnett granted a preliminary injunction against Venu Sports that effectively halts the platform. According to The Verge, the New York Southern District federal judge also claimed that Fubo can likely win its complaint if it argued that this three-way deal violates the Clayton Act.
It should be noted that, when Venu Sports was originally announced, senators in the United States launched an investigation against the all-in-one platform. The investigation like wise involved the Department of Justice .
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Venu Sports and Its Antitrust Lawsuit from Fubo
At the heart of the lawsuit filed by Fubo TV. Inc. against the the three companies behind Venu Sports is the argument that the app is an antitrust violation. Fubo said claimed that it has been the target of these companies' practices that are described to be anti-competition.
Furthermore, it has been claimed by Fubo that it has seen a "years-long attempt" to block its services and harm its customers.
Platforms for Live Sports Streaming
There are already many streaming platforms in the world that offer both live TV and on-demand content, but sports programming and content have been only made available by certain apps. Because of this, avid sports fans typically need multiple subscriptions in order to keep up with different sports and leagues.
Hulu + Live TV is among the popular ones in the market, and it is known for offering NBA. It is available via TNT with other channels bundled, such as ESPN ESPN2, and ABC.
As for the NFL, the most significant deal made by YouTube TV towards the end of 2022 was with the league's Sunday Ticket, and it is regarded as one of the largest sports streaming deals. This came after the NFL talked to potential streaming platforms to partner with as its deal with DirecTV was coming to an end.
In a bid to create an all-in-one sports app, Disney (through its ESPN subsidiary), FOX Corp.'s FOX Sports, and Warner Bros. Discovery banded together to create a sports super streaming app that combines all they have to offer.
However, it remains to be seen if the app can launch at all due to the antitrust complaint filed by Fubo.
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