Disney, Fox & WBD sports streaming giant named Venu Sports

The highly anticipated US sports streaming joint venture between media giants Disney’s ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery will be named Venu Sports.

The planned sports streaming powerhouse, dubbed ‘Spulu’ by the press, was first announced in February. It is scheduled to launch this autumn ahead of the NFL season.

Venu Sports combines the trio’s sport properties, including programming of major sports leagues and events such as NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, PGA Tour, PGA Championship, The Masters, Wimbledon, US Open, Australian Open, UFC, Formula 1, Nascar, FIFA World Cup, LaLiga and Bundesliga. The streamers will also provide users access to the companies’ linear sports channels.

According to a previous report by Bloomberg, the joint project is set to be examined by the US Department of Justice when terms are finalised. In April, two US Congressmen also wrote to Disney, Fox and WBD bosses to express concerns on how the JV would affect “access, competition, and choice in the sports streaming market.”

Whilst, rival sports streamer Fubo filed a lawsuit against the JV partners following the announcement, alleging it will destroy competition and inflate prices for consumers. The company with seven other co-signers also sent a joint letter to the US congress urging committee members to launch an inquiry into the creation of Venu Sports.

Former Apple TV+ and Hulu exec Pete Distad was named CEO of Venu Sports in March. Commenting on the new brand name, he said: “We are excited to officially introduce Venu Sports, a brand that we feel captures the spirit of an all-new streaming home where sports fans outside of the traditional pay TV eco-system can experience an incredible collection of live sports, all in one place,”

“As preparations for the platform continue to accelerate, we are singularly focused on delivering a best-in-class product for our target audience, built from the ground up using the latest technologies to engage and entertain discerning sports fans wanting one-stop access to live games,” he added.