The landscape for streaming sports is quite chaotic, and Venu Sports exemplifies this trend. The anticipated streaming bundle from Disney, FOX, and Warner Bros. that was slated for release last fall has now been scrapped even before its debut.
Venu Sports has been discontinued before it even launched
The trio behind Venu Sports—Disney, FOX, and Warner Bros. Discovery—issued a joint announcement today stating that the plans for the streaming service are no longer proceeding.
Here’s the official statement:
After careful deliberation, we have mutually decided to discontinue the Venu Sports joint venture and not move forward with the streaming service. In a constantly evolving market, we concluded that prioritizing our existing products and distribution channels would be more beneficial in meeting sports fans’ needs. We are proud of the progress made on Venu thus far and appreciate the team involved, whom we will continue to support during this transition.
This unexpected turn follows the Venu-related news from earlier this week.
On Monday, Disney and Fubo announced a merger of two of their businesses, leading to the resolution of the ongoing Fubo lawsuit.
Venu Sports was initially set to launch last fall with a subscription price of $42.99, offering a comprehensive sports bundle that combined the extensive sports rights possessed by the three companies.
However, Fubo’s lawsuit regarding anti-competitive practices resulted in the service’s launch being halted.
DMN’s Perspective
I had assumed, as likely did many others, that the recent Disney-Fubo agreement signaled an imminent rollout of Venu Sports.
Now, it appears that Venu Sports has been canceled without ever having the opportunity to prove itself.
In some respects, this decision is logical, especially with Disney preparing to introduce its flagship ESPN streaming service this fall. Still, the cancellation is a surprising outcome that underscores the challenges companies face while transitioning sports content to the streaming model.
What are your thoughts on the cancellation of Venu Sports? Were you looking forward to subscribing? Share your opinions in the comments.
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