Watching live sports through streaming services is a bit of a mess. Certain sports and networks are exclusive to certain packages, and everyone is left confused about where to watch the game. Venu Sports is a new streaming service that aims to fix that—and it has some big money behind it.
On January 10th, ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery announced that they have agreed to “discontinue the Venu Sports venture and not launch the streaming service.” Read more below.
What Is Venu Sports?
Traditionally, ESPN (Disney) and FOX have been like oil and water—you can get one or the other easily, but mixing them together takes effort ($$$). Venu Sports is a new service that aims to fix this by putting all the biggest sports networks under one roof.
Of course, there are existing streaming services that do this. YouTube TV, Sling TV, Fubo TV, and some other live TV services include these channels. However, they also offer a lot more than sports, and you might not care about all that extra fluff. As the name implies, Venu Sports is all about sports.
The other difference between Venu Sports and something like YouTube TV is who’s in charge. Venu is a joint venture from Disney, FOX, and Warner Bros. Discovery. The companies responsible for the channels are running the service—which is why it’s pending regulatory approval. If all goes well, it will launch this Fall.
What Channels Are on Venu Sports?
As mentioned, Venu Sports is the child of Disney, FOX, and Warner Bros. Discovery. These three giants have many sports networks under their umbrella. Here’s what each one brings to the table for Venu:
- Disney: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, and ESPN+
- FOX: FOX, FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network
- Warner Bros. Discovery: TNT, TBS and TruTV
How Much Will Venu Sports Cost?
In August 2024, it was confirmed that Venu Sports will cost $42.99 per month after a seven-day free trial. However, that is only an entry price. People who sign up for Venu at $42.99 a month will get to keep the price for 12 months, after which it will presumably increase.
$42.99 is considerably cheaper than the alternatives. YouTube TV costs $72.99 per month; Sling TV is $55 per month; DirecTV Stream is $80 per month; Hulu Live TV is $77 per month; and Fubo TV’s cheapest plan is $79.99 per month. But again, Venu’s price is only good for the first year.
When Is Venu Sports Coming Out?
Venu Sports is slated to launch in “Fall 2024″—there has been no official release date given. It’s safe to say Disney, FOX, and WB would love to cash in on the upcoming football season, but there are some legal matters to attend to first.
In February, Fubo TV sued the companies responsible for Venu for antitrust violations and a plot to manipulate the market. Their argument is that Venu will be the only option for people who want sports channels without entertainment channels, and the companies behind Venu are actively preventing other providers (Fubo) from offering the same type of package.
Earlier in August, Fubo TV began pleading its case to a U.S. District Judge, seeking a preliminary injunction. If granted and passed by the Court of Appeals, Venu would be forced to halt its launch plans by months and possibly years.
January 2025: Venu Sports Will Not Launch
On January 6th, Disney and Fubo announced that they would combine Hulu + Live TV with Fubo into a partially independent company. This led Fubo to drop the lawsuit mentioned in the section above, but not everyone was happy. DirecTV and EchoStar are not happy about the outcome.
A few days later, ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery announced that Venu Sports will not launch.
After careful consideration, we have collectively agreed to discontinue the Venu Sports joint venture and not launch the streaming service. In an ever-changing marketplace, we determined that it was best to meet the evolving demands of sports fans by focusing on existing products and distribution channels. We are proud of the work that has been done on Venu to date and grateful to the Venu staff, whom we will support through this transition period.
So, the end result is a new independent service combining Hulu + Live TV and Fubo, of which Disney is a 70% owner. RIP Venu Sports.
