In a highly unusual way, Venu Sports has managed to bring some video services together while dividing others. All of which has happened before the sports-streaming service has even launched.
On the bringing together point, Venu Sports is the result of a combined effort between Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery. Competitors under any other circumstance, the new venture unified these companies in their approach to how consumers could and should stream sports content.
On the dividing point, the most notable example of this was Fubo. The live TV service has not only been very vocal in its opposition to Venu Sports, but it also took Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery to court. Fubo also won the first battle after being granted a preliminary injunction that effectively blocked Venu Sports from launching for the foreseeable future, pending any potential appeal.
Fubo isn’t the only company invested in the outcome of Venu Sports. DirecTV released a ‘Looking Toward a Brighter TV Future‘ article today where the company said it “applauds Judge Garnett’s ruling that the creation of such a genre-based product should not rest entirely with these media giants.” In other words, the ruling that ultimately led to the blocking of Venu Sports from launching.
“We disagree with Venu’s anti-competitive strategy and believe that TV distributors should have the same flexibility to thrive alongside DTC services by offering genre-based packages that extend beyond sports to include locals, entertainment, news, family, movies, and others,” DirecTV added.
While DirecTV made clear that it agreed with the ruling against Venu Sports, the company also acknowledged that Venu Sports would have filled a space with a much-needed solution. A skinnier sports-focused package.
On that point, DirecTV argues that programmers and pay TV distributors should be looking to work together in the future to offer consumers flexible packages, lower-priced alternatives, and an aggregated experience.
All of which are changes that most consumers, and in particular, sports fans, would welcome with open arms.
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