The excitement surrounding the fall launch of Venu Sports—a new streaming service combining sports content from ESPN/Disney, TNT Sports/WBD, and Fox Sports—has been tempered by a recent legal development. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction in favor of Fubo’s lawsuit against Venu Sports, which could delay the launch. The lawsuit challenges Venu Sports’ business model, arguing it unfairly favors affiliated distributors over third parties like Fubo. While DirecTV has publicly supported Fubo following the ruling, other distributors have remained relatively silent. ESPN, on the other hand, has announced plans to appeal the injunction, arguing that Venu Sports enhances consumer choice. The future of Venu Sports remains uncertain, as the final outcome will depend on the appeal process.
