The Merger of Fubo and Hulu + Live TV Is Getting Fast-Tracked
The Walt Disney Company shook up the streaming industry earlier this year when it announced the purchase of a 70% stake in Fubo and the upcoming integration of the service with Hulu + Live TV.
The surprise merger was a twist ending to the saga of Venu Sports, a planned streaming service that would have brought together the top sports networks from Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox.
Upon the announcement that the new streamer was in development, Fubo filed an antitrust lawsuit against the joint partners. In a surprise development, a federal judge issued an injunction, blocking the streaming service’s launch while the legal process played out.
Venu
With Disney’s purchase of Fubo, the lawsuit was settled.
The Deal Is Now Being Fast-Tracked
Today, Fubo announced that it is accelerating the timeline for closing its deal with Disney, and the merger is now expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year or the first quarter of 2026.
While the deal appears to be close to fruition, there are still numerous hurdles that it must clear. First and foremost, there is approval by the Department of Justice, which has already announced that it is investigating antitrust concerns surrounding the agreement.
Photo: Fubo
Additionally, Fubo shareholders must also approve the deal.
The New Entity
Nevertheless, based on the current trajectory, it appears that the new Fubo/Hulu + Live TV service will be ready to launch by early next year. When it does, the service will boast 6.3 million subscribers.
Photo: Hulu
The new version of Fubo will continue to be run by CEO David Gandler. It will also continue to be publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The big change will be that Disney will now own 70% of the company. Additionally, the streamer will launch a new Sports & Broadcast service featuring Disney’s networks.
