Venu Sports [projet de plateforme de streaming sportif abandonné]

ESPN, Fox et Warner Bros. Discovery lanceront cette année une plateforme commune de streaming sportif.

ESPN, Fox et Warner Bros. Discovery prévoit de lancer un service commun de streaming sportif cet automne, offrant ainsi aux consommateurs une nouvelle façon d'accéder à des sports de renom en direct.

La nouvelle plateforme spécialement conçue pour les amateurs de sports, qui appartiendra à une société nouvellement créée avec sa propre équipe de direction, n'a pas encore de nom ni de prix. The Walt Disney Company, Fox et Warner Bros. Discovery détiendront chacun un tiers des parts.

Les consommateurs pourraient souscrire un abonnement directement via une nouvelle application.

Les abonnés auraient également la possibilité de regrouper le produit avec les plateformes de streaming  Disney+, Hulu et Max.

La plateforme comprendrait tous les réseaux de diffusion et de câble appartenant à Disney, Fox et Warner Bros. Discovery qui diffusent des sports, ainsi qu'ESPN+.

Cela inclut ESPN et ses réseaux frères, tels que ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ainsi que le réseau de diffusion ABC. Les réseaux de Warner Bros. Discovery qui présentent le sport sont TNT, TBS et TruTV. Fox inclura la station de diffusion Fox ainsi que FS1, FS2 et BTN.

L'offre des sports proposés serait très large avec la NFL, la NBA, la WNBA, la MLB, la NHL, la NASCAR, les sports universitaires, l'UFC, le golf du PGA TOUR, le tennis du Grand Chelem, la Coupe du monde de la FIFA, le cyclisme et bien plus encore.

Les trois concurrents espèrent former ce service commun à une époque où les coûts des droits médiatiques sportifs augmentent alors que les téléspectateurs abandonnent le visionnage par câble traditionnel.

Le lancement de cette nouvelle plateforme n'empêchera pas ESPN d'offrir un produit complet de streaming directement au consommateur à la fin de l'année ou l'année prochaine.

Citation :

Bob Iger, Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company said, “The launch of this new streaming sports service is a significant moment for Disney and ESPN, a major win for sports fans, and an important step forward for the media business. This means the full suite of ESPN channels will be available to consumers alongside the sports programming of other industry leaders as part of a differentiated sports-centric service. I’m grateful to Jimmy Pitaro and the team at ESPN, who are at the forefront of innovating on behalf of consumers to create new offerings with more choice and greater value.”

Lachlan Murdoch, Executive Chair and Chief Executive Officer of FOX said, “We’re pumped to bring the FOX Sports portfolio to this new and exciting platform. We believe the service will provide passionate fans outside of the traditional bundle an array of amazing sports content all in one place.”

David Zaslav, Chief Executive Officer of Warner Bros. Discovery, said “At WBD, our ambition is always to connect our leading content and brands with as many viewers as possible, and this exciting joint venture and the unparalleled combination of marquee sports rights and access to the greatest sporting events in the world allows us to do just that. This new sports service exemplifies our ability as an industry to drive innovation and provide consumers with more choice, enjoyment and value and we’re thrilled to deliver it to sports fans.”

ESPN - 6 février 2024.

Pete Distad, un leader expérimenté dans les domaines des médias, du sport et de la technologie, a été nommé PDG du nouveau service de streaming sportif – une coentreprise formée par ESPN, FOX et Warner Bros.

Petr Distad, qui a récemment occupé le poste de cadre chez Apple pendant une décennie après six années chez Hulu, assumera la supervision de tous les aspects de la coentreprise, y compris la stratégie globale, la distribution, le marketing, les ventes et bien plus encore.

Citation :

Pete Distad Named CEO of New Sports Streaming Service

Pete Distad, an experienced leader in media, sports and technology, has been named CEO of the new sports streaming service – a joint venture formed by ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery. Distad, who most recently served as an executive at Apple for a decade following six years at Hulu, will assume oversight of all aspects of the joint venture, including overall strategy, distribution, marketing, sales and more.

Distad worked at Apple from 2013-2023, where he was responsible for the business, operations and global distribution for Video, Sports and Apple TV+. While there, he launched the new Apple TV in 2015, and later led teams that launched and scaled the Apple TV app, Apple TV+, and MLS Season Pass. He originally joined the company to lead product marketing for the Apple TV hardware product.

His Hulu experience (2007-2013) included serving as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Distribution on the executive team. He was part of the original Hulu launch team, overseeing customer acquisition and retention, distribution and marketing.

Prior to Hulu, Distad worked in various technology and management consulting roles, including at McKinsey & Company, Calence (now Insight) and Andersen Consulting (now Accenture).

“This is an incredible opportunity to build and grow a differentiated product that will serve passionate sports fans in the US outside of the traditional pay TV bundle,” Distad said. “I’m excited to be able to pull together the industry-leading sports content portfolios from these three companies to deliver a new best-in-class service.”

ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery added the following joint statement: “Pete is an accomplished innovator and leader who has extensive experience with launching and growing new video services. We are confident he and his team will build an extremely compelling, fan-focused product for our target market.”

Upon establishment of the JV, Distad will report to its board of directors, which will include representatives selected by each of the three companies. He will be based at the to-be-established offices of the joint venture in Los Angeles, along with the independent management team he will assemble.

Sports streaming service from ESPN, FOX and XBF

The innovative new platform, announced in february, will bring together the companies’ portfolios of sports networks and certain of their direct-to-consumer (DTC) sports services – including content from all the major professional sports leagues and college sports. The formation of the pay service is subject to the negotiation of definitive agreements amongst the parties.

The sports streaming offering, scheduled to launch in the fall of 2024, will be made available directly to consumers via a new app. Subscribers would also have the ability to bundle the product, including with Disney+, Hulu and/or Max.

The platform would aggregate content to offer fans an extensive, dynamic lineup of sports content, aiming to provide a new and differentiated experience to serve sports fans, particularly those outside of the traditional pay TV bundle.

By subscribing to this focused, all-in-one premier sports service, fans would have access to the linear sports networks including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ABC, FOX, FS1, FS2, BTN, TNT, TBS, truTV, as well as ESPN+.

The Walt Disney Company - 15 mars 2024. 

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/pete-distad-ceo-sports-streaming-disney-fox-wbd/?fbclid=IwAR0qmARVcj8iteKalCfW6Qkg9SvgbeBBSOlCpKtdhbFsiUGblDwHRpKMRJQ

La plateforme s'appelera Venu Sports et intègrera le contenu d'ESPN+ ainsi que les programmes sportifs des chaînes linéraires ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, TNT, TBS et truTV.

J'avoue qu'avec tout ça, j'ai un peu du mal à imaginer que ça ne fonctionne pas. Tout va dépendre du prix, bien sûr, mais c'est une porte ouverte à l'abandon du câble pour de nombreux Américains qui ne le gardaient que pour ESPN.

Venu Sports compose ses équipes :

Variety a écrit:

Venu Sports Sets Senior Management Team, More Than 150 Execs, Engineers Working on Launch of Disney, WBD, Fox’s Streamer

Key senior hires include chief business officer Tim Connolly, CTO Skarpi Hedinsson and CMO Brian Borkowski

Venu Sports, the sports-streaming joint venture of Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox Corp., has rounded out the senior management team under CEO Pete Distad.

At this point, Venu Sports says more than 150 engineers and executives are working toward the launch of the service, which is pegged for a fall 2024 debut. A rep clarified that the majority of those are currently Fox Corp. employees, some of whom are expected to join Venu.

Key senior hires announced Tuesday include chief business officer Tim Connolly (formerly with Apple TV+ and Hulu), CTO Skarpi Hedinsson (previously with the L.A. Rams and Disney/ABC Television Group) and CMO Brian Borkowski (former FanDuel and Hulu exec).

https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/venu-sports-headcount-senior-executiveds-disney-wbd-fox-venture-1236041342/

Variety a écrit:

Disney, Fox and WBD’s Venu Sports Streaming JV Taps Ex-Apple Exec Tony Billetter as SVP of Strategy and Planning

Tony Billetter, formerly Apple’s head of worldwide business strategy and planning for video and sports, has taken on a similar role at Venu Sports, the recently formed joint venture of Disney, Fox Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery.

With the move, Billetter rejoins Pete Distad, CEO of Venu, who had previously overseen Apple TV+’s business, operations and global distribution and worked at the tech giant for a decade.

Billetter worked at Apple since December 2017 before leaving to start at L.A.-based Venu last month, according to his LinkedIn profile. A rep for Venu Sports confirmed Billetter’s hire. Prior to Apple, Billetter worked at Disney for more than 10 years, where his roles included director of strategic planning for Walt Disney Studios. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from San Francisco State University and an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

https://variety.com/2024/digital/news/venu-sports-hires-tony-billetter-apple-1236015514/

Le service de streaming Venu Sports sera lancé au prix de 42,99 $ par mois.

Variety a écrit:

Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Sports Streamer Venu to Launch at $42.99 per Month

Streaming sports on a stand-alone basis won’t be cheap.

Venu, the streaming joint venture backed by Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery and built around the sports offerings of all three companies, will launch with an initial price tag of $42.99 per month. The service is expected to debut in the fall in conjunction with the start of the next NFL season.

“With an impressive portfolio of sports programming, Venu will provide sports fans in the U.S. with a single destination for watching many of the most sought-after games and events,” said Pete Distad, CEO of the new outlet, in a statement. “We’re building Venu from the ground up for fans who want seamless access to watch the sports they love, and we will launch at a compelling price point that will appeal to the cord cutter and cord never fans currently not served by existing pay TV packages.”

https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/venu-launch-42-99-per-month-disney-fox-warner-bros-discovery-1236092585/

Petit contre-temps ou grosse épine dans le pied de Venu Sports ?

Le service de streaming sportif FuboTV, qui pâtirait énormément de l'arivée de Venu Sports sur le marché, tente de bloquer ce dernier en passant par les tribunaux.

En février 2024, FuboTV a intenté une action en justice antitrust contre The Walt Disney Company, Fox et Warner Bros. Discovery.

Ce vendredi 16 août, la juge de district Margaret Garnett du tribunal fédéral de Manhattan a interdit aux trois sociétés de lancer Venu Sports arguant que le nouveau service réduirait considérablement la concurrence et restreindrait les activités commerciales de l'entreprise concurrente.

The Walt Disney Company, Fox et Warner Bros. Discovery ne sont évidemment pas du même avis et font appel de la décision du tribunal.

Lors de sa création en 2015, FuboTV comptait parmi ses actionnaires... The Walt Disney Company, avant d'être racheté en 2020 et d'être par la suite introduite en bourse.

FuboTV a conclu des accords avec plusieurs réseaux afin d'apporter du contenu à son service de streaming, et ce incluant Disney Media Networks pour amener des programmes provenant des réseaux ESPN (ainsi que des réseaux ABC et de Disney Channel).

FuboTV avait un accord similaire avec Warner Bros. Discovery qui été dénoncé en avril dernier (et les programmes résultants de cet accord ont été retiré de FuboTV dans la foulée).

Affaire à suivre...

Variety a écrit:

Judge Bars Disney, Warner, Fox From Launching Sports Streamer Venu

Venu, the much-discussed streaming sports joint venture backed by Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery has been blocked from its goal.

U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett in federal court in Manhattan barred the three companies on Friday from launching Venu, deciding that the FuboTV sports streaming service would likely prevail on claims that the new broadband entity would “substantially lessen competition and restrain trade.” Fubo launched in 2015 as a start-up focused on streaming sports programming.

“We respectfully disagree with the court’s ruling and are appealing it,” Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery said in a statement. “We believe that Fubo’s arguments are wrong on the facts and the law, and that Fubo has failed to prove it is legally entitled to a preliminary injunction. Venu Sports is a pro-competitive option that aims to enhance consumer choice by reaching a segment of viewers who currently are not served by existing subscription options.”

https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/judge-bars-disney-warner-fox-venu-launch-fubotv-1236109394/

Le lancement de la plateforme Venu Sports est temporairement bloqué en vertu d'une injonction préliminaire émise le 16 août dernier par la juge Margaret Garnett du tribunal fédéral de Manhattan à la demande FuboTV (voir message précédent).

The Walt Disney Company, Fox et Warner Bros. Discovery ont fait appel de la décision, sans succès, et la date du début du procès a été fixée au... jeudi 6 octobre 2025.

The Walt Disney Company n'a pas souhaité attendre le dénouement du procès intenté par FuboTV à son encontre, dont la date de début a été fixée au 6 octobre 2025, et a négocié un accord avec la partie adverse.

FuboTV Incorporated. et The Walt Disney Company ont annoncé aujourd'hui avoir conclu un accord définitif permettant à Disney de regrouper ses activités Hulu + Live TV avec FuboTV formant ainsi une société MVPD virtuelle combinée (distributeur de programmes vidéo multiples).

Selon les termes de l'accord définitif, à la clôture, The Walt Disney Company détiendra 70 % de FuboTV Incorporated.

Dans le cadre de la transaction, The Walt Disney Company conclura un nouvel accord de distribution avec FuboTV qui permettra à FuboTV de créer un nouveau service de diffusion de sports, mettant en vedette les principaux réseaux sportifs et de diffusion de Disney, notamment ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ainsi que ESPN+.

FuboTV et Hulu + Live TV continueront d'être disponibles pour les consommateurs sous forme d'offres distinctes.

Hulu + Live TV continuera d'être diffusé en streaming sur l'application Hulu et sera proposé dans le cadre du forfait attractif avec Hulu, Disney+ et ESPN+.

FuboTV, qui diffuse chaque année plus de 55 000 événements sportifs en direct, continuera de servir ses abonnés dans l'application FuboTV.

Dans le cadre de la transaction, FuboTV a réglé tous les litiges avec Disney et ESPN liés à Venu Sports, la plateforme de streaming sportif annoncée précédemment et prévue par ESPN, FOX et Warner Bros. Discovery.

FuboTV a également réglé tous les litiges avec FOX et Warner Bros. Discovery (The Walt Disney Company, FOX et Warner Bros. Discovery effectueront un paiement global à FuboTV d'un montant de 220 millions de dollars).

Citation :

Fubo And Disney’s Hulu + Live TV Virtual MVPD Businesses To Combine

• Disney to combine its Hulu + Live TV business with Fubo and become majority owner of the resulting company

• The combined business will operate under the Fubo publicly traded company name led by the existing Fubo management team; Fubo and Hulu + Live TV will continue to be available to consumers as separate offerings

• With a combined 6.2 million North American subscribers between Fubo and Hulu + Live TV, the new vMVPD company is expected to enhance consumer choice through more flexible programming offerings

• Fubo to create a new Sports & Broadcasting service, featuring Disney’s premier sports and broadcast networks

• All litigation between Fubo and Disney has been settled

FuboTV Inc. and The Walt Disney Company today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Disney to combine its Hulu + Live TV business with Fubo (the “Transaction”), forming a combined virtual MVPD company. The Transaction will enhance consumer choice by making available a broad set of programming offerings, and is subject to regulatory approvals, Fubo shareholder approval, and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

Under the terms of the definitive agreement, at closing, Disney will own 70% of Fubo. Fubo’s existing management team, led by Fubo Co-founder and CEO David Gandler, will operate the newly combined Fubo and Hulu + Live TV businesses.

"We are thrilled to collaborate with Disney to create a consumer-first streaming company that combines the strengths of the Fubo and Hulu + Live TV brands,” said Gandler. “This combination enables us to deliver on our promise to provide consumers with greater choice and flexibility. Additionally, this agreement allows us to scale effectively, strengthens Fubo’s balance sheet and positions us for positive cash flow. It’s a win for consumers, our shareholders, and the entire streaming industry."

"This combination will allow both Hulu + Live TV and Fubo to enhance and expand their virtual MVPD offerings and provide consumers with even more choice and flexibility,” said Justin Warbrooke, Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Development, The Walt Disney Company. “We have confidence in the Fubo management team and their ability to grow the business, delivering high-quality offerings that serve subscribers with the content they want and offering great value."

Combined Business to Provide Enhanced Consumer Choice

Fubo and Hulu + Live TV each provide customers the ability to stream a broad array of live broadcast and cable networks on their connected TVs, mobile phones, tablets, and other internet-connected devices.

Combining the businesses of Fubo and Hulu + Live TV — which together have over 6.2 million subscribers in North America — will facilitate an enhanced choice of programming packages and address a variety of consumer preferences at attractive price points.

In connection with the Transaction, Disney will enter into a new carriage agreement with Fubo that will allow Fubo to create a new Sports & Broadcast service, featuring Disney’s premier sports and broadcast networks including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, as well as ESPN+.

Fubo and Hulu + Live TV will continue to be available to consumers as separate offerings post-closing. Hulu + Live TV, a leader in entertainment programming, will continue to be streamed in the Hulu app and be offered as part of the attractive bundle with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+. Fubo, which streams more than 55,000 live sporting events annually, will continue to serve its subscribers in the Fubo app.

The combined company will negotiate carriage agreements with content providers for both Hulu + Live TV and Fubo services independently from Disney.

Combined Company will Benefit from Synergies

Following the closing of the Transaction, Fubo will be governed by a board of directors with the majority appointed by Disney, as well as independent directors. Gandler will also serve on the board of directors continuing as Fubo’s CEO. The Transaction will provide the combined company with the resources and support of Disney, and the existing Fubo management team will continue to focus on driving growth and profitability. 

The Transaction will also enable Fubo shareholders to benefit from synergies of the combination. The combined business will realize synergies through more flexible programming packaging to cater to all audiences, greater innovation, and sales and marketing opportunities.

The combined company is projected to be well-capitalized and cash-flow positive immediately after the closing of the Transaction. 

Transaction Details and Litigation Settlement

In conjunction with the Transaction, Fubo has settled all litigation with Disney and ESPN related to Venu Sports, the previously announced sports streaming platform planned by ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery. Fubo has also settled all litigation with FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery.

In connection therewith, at signing of the Transaction, Disney, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery will make an aggregate cash payment to Fubo of $220 million. 

In addition, Disney has committed to provide a $145 million term loan to Fubo in 2026 as part of the Transaction.

Additionally, a termination fee of $130 million will be payable to Fubo under certain circumstances, including if the Transaction fails to close due to the failure to obtain requisite regulatory approvals on the terms and conditions set forth in the definitive agreement.

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/fubo-hulu-live-tv-combine/

Vinc a écrit:

Selon les termes de l'accord définitif, à la clôture, The Walt Disney Company détiendra 70 % de FuboTV Incorporated.

À noter que FuboTV possède Molotov en France qui devrait donc devenir une plateforme détenue à 70% par Disney.

Le projet de service de streaming sportif Venu Sports est abandonné par les trois géants des médias, The Walt Disney Company (ESPN), Fox et Warner Bros. Discovery.

Annoncé en fanfare l'année dernière par The Walt Disney Company, Fox et Warner Bros. Discovery avec une date de lancement ciblée le 23 août 2024, l'aventure de Venu Sports a rapidement rencontré ses premiers obstacles.

Deux semaines après la présentation du projet, FuboTV entamait des poursuites à l'encontre de The Walt Disney Company, Fox et Warner Bros. Discovery pour comportement anticoncurrentiel.  

En août dernier, une semaine avant la mise en ligne prévue de Venu Sports, la juge de district Margaret Garnett du tribunal fédéral de Manhattan (district sud de New York) a accordé une injonction à FuboTV, reconnaissant le comportement anticoncurrentiel, tout en fixant la date du début du procès au 6 octobre 2025.

Lundi dernier, FuboTV a abandonné les poursuite après avoir accepté un paiement global d'un montant de 220 millions de dollars de la part de The Walt Disney Company, Fox et Warner Bros. Discovery, tout en passant un accord avec The Walt Disney Company pour regrouper les activités Hulu + Live TV avec FuboTV formant ainsi une société MVPD virtuelle combinée qui diffusera, entre autre, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS et ESPN+.

Le lendemain, Venu Sports mourrait avant même d'avoir diffusé la moindre image...

Citation :

The Walt Disney Company, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery have called off plans to launch their sports streaming service, Venu, the companies said in a joint statement Friday.

“After careful consideration, we have collectively agreed to discontinue the Venu Sports joint venture and not launch the streaming service,” they said in the statement. “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.”

10 janvier 2025.