Fubo Wins Preliminary Injunction Against The Walt Disney Company, FOX Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Venu Sports Joint Venture

Rhea-AI Summary

FuboTV Inc. (NYSE: FUBO) has won a preliminary injunction against The Walt Disney Company, FOX Corp., and Warner Bros. Discovery's Venu Sports joint venture (JV). The U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York approved Fubo's request to stop the launch of the JV, which would have controlled 60%-80% of live broadcast sports content. Fubo CEO David Gandler called it a victory for consumers and competition.

Fubo argues that the JV would limit competition, reduce consumer choice, and lead to price hikes. The company plans to proceed with its antitrust lawsuit against the JV partners, alleging a years-long campaign to block Fubo's sports-first streaming business. Multiple lawmakers and public interest groups have expressed concerns about the JV's potential negative impact on consumers.

Positive

• Fubo won a preliminary injunction against major media conglomerates, potentially preserving competition in the sports streaming market
• The court decision may help ensure multiple, more affordable sports streaming options for consumers
• Fubo's lawsuit against JV partners for antitrust practices is moving forward

Negative

• Fubo is engaged in a legal battle against three of the world's biggest media conglomerates, which could be resource-intensive
• The company alleges years-long anticompetitive practices by major media companies, indicating ongoing challenges in the market

Insights

Legal Expert

This ruling marks a significant legal victory for Fubo against media giants Disney, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery. The court's decision to grant a preliminary injunction effectively halts the launch of the Venu Sports joint venture, which could have controlled up to 80% of live broadcast sports content.

The implications are substantial for the streaming industry. By preventing this consolidation, the court has preserved competition in the sports streaming market. This decision aligns with antitrust principles, aiming to protect consumer choice and prevent monopolistic practices.

Fubo's ongoing antitrust lawsuit against these companies will be closely watched. If successful, it could lead to broader changes in how media conglomerates operate in the streaming space, potentially forcing more open licensing practices and fairer competition.

Market Research Analyst

This development could significantly reshape the streaming landscape. By blocking a joint venture that would have controlled a majority of live sports content, the court's decision may open doors for smaller players and innovators in the sports streaming market.

For consumers, this could mean more choices and potentially lower prices in the long run. The ruling may encourage competition, driving streaming services to improve their offerings and pricing to attract customers. However, it's important to note that established media companies still hold significant power in content rights.

Investors should watch for potential ripple effects across the media and tech sectors, as this decision could influence future partnerships, mergers and content distribution strategies in the rapidly evolving streaming industry.

Financial Analyst

This legal victory could have positive financial implications for Fubo. By preventing the joint venture, Fubo maintains its competitive position in the sports streaming market, which is important for its growth strategy. This could lead to improved subscriber retention and acquisition, potentially boosting revenue and market share.

However, investors should remain cautious. Fubo still faces significant challenges, including high content costs and intense competition. The company's path to profitability remains uncertain and ongoing legal battles could incur substantial expenses.

The broader impact on the media landscape could affect valuations across the sector. Companies involved in the blocked joint venture may need to reassess their streaming strategies, potentially leading to market volatility. Investors should closely monitor how these media giants respond to this setback in their plans to consolidate sports content.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- FuboTV Inc. (d/b/a Fubo) (NYSE: FUBO), the leading sports-first live TV streaming platform, has been successful in stopping the launch of The Walt Disney Company, FOX Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Venu Sports joint venture (JV) after its request for a preliminary injunction was approved by the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York today. Today’s ruling is significant as Fubo fought against three of the world’s biggest media conglomerates to create a more competitive streaming marketplace for consumers.

David Gandler, co-founder and CEO, Fubo, commented:

“Today’s ruling is a victory not only for Fubo but also for consumers. This decision will help ensure that consumers have access to a more competitive marketplace with multiple sports streaming options.

“But our fight continues. Fubo has said all along that we seek equal treatment from these media giants, and a level playing field in our industry. The proposed joint venture was only the latest example of anticompetitive practices that The Walt Disney Company, FOX Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery have consistently engaged in for many years. We believe these practices monopolize the market, stifle competition and cheat consumers from deserved choice.

“A fair and competitive marketplace is necessary to provide consumers with multiple, robust and more affordable sports streaming options. We will continue to fight for fairness and for what’s best for consumers.”

Fubo had sought to stop the launch of the JV that would have controlled roughly 60%-80% of live broadcast sports content, according to its partners. Fubo presented evidence of the JV’s primary effect of limiting competition, removing consumer choice, and ultimately leading to steep price hikes for consumers and boosting profits for the partners. Fubo’s goal is to ensure a competitive sports streaming marketplace that offers consumers choice, affordable pricing, flexibility and innovation. All distributors should have the opportunity to compete in a fair market, according to Fubo.

Fubo also intends to move forward with its lawsuit against the JV partners and their affiliates for antitrust practices. The suit, filed February 20, 2024, alleges that the vertically-integrated media companies have engaged in a years-long campaign to block Fubo’s innovative sports-first streaming business resulting in significant harm to both Fubo and consumers.

Multiple lawmakers, media and distribution companies and public interest groups have also publicly expressed concern about the JV’s negative impact for consumers. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) sent a letter on August 7, 2024 to the Department of Justice and Federal Communications Commission. Additionally, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Ranking Member, House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) sent letters on April 16, 2024 and June 7, 2024 to the JV partner CEOs Bob Iger, Lachlan Murdoch and David Zaslav citing concerns of negative consumer impact and anti-competitive behavior as a result of the JV.

Additionally, eight entities (Fubo, DirecTV, Dish, Newsmax and public advocacy groups American Economic Liberties Project, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Open Markets Institute and Sports Fans Coalition) co-authored a letter to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate Commerce and Judiciary Committees, House Energy & Commerce and Judiciary Committees expressing concern with the JV and its impact on the future of streaming.

Fubo thanks all who expressed concern directly to the Court through amici briefs and declarations.

Kellogg Hansen represented Fubo in its legal proceedings.

A court date for the antitrust lawsuit has not yet been announced.

About Fubo

With a global mission to aggregate the best in TV, including premium sports, news and entertainment content, through a single app, FuboTV Inc. (d/b/a Fubo) (NYSE: FUBO) aims to transcend the industry’s current TV model. The company operates Fubo in the U.S., Canada and Spain and Molotov in France.

In the U.S., Fubo is a sports-first cable TV replacement product that aggregates more than 400 live sports, news and entertainment networks and is the only live TV streaming platform with every Nielsen-rated sports channel (source: Nielsen Total Viewers, 2023). Leveraging Fubo’s proprietary data and technology platform optimized for live TV and sports viewership, subscribers can engage with the content they are watching through an intuitive and personalized streaming experience. Fubo has continuously pushed the boundaries of live TV streaming. It was the first virtual MVPD to launch 4K streaming and MultiView, which it did years ahead of its peers, as well as Instant Headlines, a first-of-its-kind AI feature that generates contextual news topics as they are reported live on air.

Learn more at https://fubo.tv

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements of FuboTV Inc. (“Fubo”) that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact are forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding our business strategy and plans, anticompetitive practices among our competitors and our response plan, including our antitrust lawsuit against the Walt Disney Company, Fox Corporation and Warner Brothers Discovery, and competition in our industry. The words “could,” “will,” “plan,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “approximate,” “expect,” “potential,” “believe” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements that Fubo makes due to a number of important factors, including but not limited to the following: our ability to achieve or maintain profitability; risks related to our access to capital and fundraising prospects to fund our financial operations and support our planned business growth; our revenue and gross profit are subject to seasonality; our operating results may fluctuate; our ability to effectively manage our growth; the long-term nature of our content commitments; our ability to renew our long-term content contracts on sufficiently favorable terms; our ability to attract and retain subscribers; obligations imposed on us through our agreements with certain distribution partners; we may not be able to license streaming content or other rights on acceptable terms; the restrictions imposed by content providers on our distribution and marketing of our products and services; our reliance on third party platforms to operate certain aspects of our business; risks related to the difficulty in measuring key metrics related to our business; risks related to preparing and forecasting our financial results; risks related to the highly competitive nature of our industry; risks related to the potential launch of the joint venture by Walt Disney Company, Fox Corporation and Warner Brothers Discovery; risks related to our technology, as well as cybersecurity and data privacy-related risks; risks related to ongoing or future legal proceedings; and other risks, including the effects of industry, market, economic, political or regulatory conditions, future exchange and interest rates, and changes in tax and other laws, regulations, rates and policies. Further risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those matters expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements are discussed in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2024 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and our other periodic filings with the SEC. We encourage you to read such risks in detail. The forward-looking statements in this press release represent Fubo’s views as of the date of this press release. Fubo anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change. However, while it may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. You should, therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing Fubo’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240816471864/en/

Investor Contacts



Ameet Padte, Fubo

ameet@fubo.tv



JCIR for Fubo

ir@fubo.tv



Media Contacts



Jennifer L. Press, Fubo

jpress@fubo.tv



Bianca Illion, Fubo

billion@fubo.tv

Source: fuboTV

FAQ

What is the significance of Fubo's preliminary injunction win against the Venu Sports joint venture?

Fubo's win stops the launch of a joint venture that would have controlled 60%-80% of live broadcast sports content, potentially preserving competition and consumer choice in the sports streaming market.

How does the court decision affect Fubo's (FUBO) business strategy?

The decision allows Fubo to continue competing in the sports streaming market without immediate threat from the joint venture, and supports its goal of ensuring a fair and competitive marketplace.

What are the next legal steps for Fubo (FUBO) following the preliminary injunction?

Fubo plans to move forward with its antitrust lawsuit against the joint venture partners, alleging years of anticompetitive practices that have harmed Fubo and consumers.

How have lawmakers responded to the proposed Venu Sports joint venture involving Fubo's (FUBO) competitors?

Several lawmakers, including Senators Warren and Sanders, have expressed concerns about the joint venture's potential negative impact on consumers and competition, sending letters to regulatory agencies and the JV partner CEOs.