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OAN Staff James Meyers
3:18 PM – Monday, January 6, 2025
Disney and FuboTV on Monday announced a planned merging of Hulu Live + TV and Fubo.
The merger will have the two businesses form a combined virtual multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) company that “will operate under the Fubo publicly traded company name,” the companies said.
As a result, Disney will have a 70% ownership stake in Fubo.
The combination “will facilitate an enhanced choice of programming packages and address a variety of consumer preferences at attractive price points,” according to Disney and Fubo.
The new merger will be run by Fubo CEO David Gandler and his management team.
He described the planned merging of Fubo and Hulu Live + TV as a “win for consumers, our shareholders, and the entire streaming industry.”
Additionally, Disney and Fubo said the new agreement will set up a “new Sports & Broadcast service” that will air ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS and ESPN+ via a carriage agreement between the two.
The vMVPD company “will negotiate carriage agreements with content providers for both Hulu + Live TV and Fubo services independently from Disney,” according to the companies.
When the deal becomes official, consumers will still be given the option to get Fubo and Hulu + Live TV as “separate offerings,” the companies said.
Hulu first introduced Hulu + Live TV in 2017. Disney includes the service in bundles with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+.
Meanwhile, Fubo has been available since 2015.
According to Disney and Fubo, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV have more than 6.2 million North American subscribers combined.
The combination of Fubo and Hulu + Live TV will be “subject to regulatory approvals, Fubo shareholder approval, and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions,” Disney and Fubo said.
The new vMVPD company is “projected to be well-capitalized and cash-flow positive immediately after the closing of the Transaction,” they said.
Fubo shares surged Monday after the announcement of the merger.
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