FuboTV Antitrust Ruling Blocks Venu Sports Launch
FuboTV's antitrust lawsuit halted the launch of Venu Sports, and the dispute was settled in January 2025 when Disney acquired a 70% stake and the service was discontinued.
Published on April 12, 2025
In 2024, Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans for Venu Sports, a live sports-only streaming service. FuboTV responded by filing an antitrust lawsuit, arguing that the venture violated the Sherman and Clayton Acts by reducing competition via anti-competitive bundling and most-favored nation licensing practices. Judge Margarett Garnett granted a preliminary injunction, finding strong grounds under Clayton Act Section 7 and viewing the joint venture as a coordinated effort by direct competitors.
Just before the January 2025 appeals hearing, the dispute was settled when Disney acquired a 70% stake in FuboTV, providing a $145 million loan alongside a $220 million payment from the defendants. Following the settlement, the companies discontinued Venu Sports and the Department of Justice began reviewing the Disney/Fubo deal amid growing scrutiny from lawmakers. This resolution may signal a shift in judicial attitudes toward joint ventures among horizontal competitors and bundling practices in the live sports streaming market.