FuboTV Files Lawsuit to Block ESPN Fox and Warner Bros Discovery Sports Streaming Service
Three network giants are coming together to reign supreme in sports streaming and FuboTV is not having it. Just days after the announcement of an unnamed sports app; FuboTV files a lawsuit to block ESPN Fox and Warner Bros Discovery sports streaming service. Let the games begin.
FOX, ESPN and Warner Bros is coming together to provide more “value” and an affordable sports streaming package that will include most major sports games and events. If the price is truly right, this app could be intriguing to sports fans sick and tired of paying for multiple apps.
However, is this a good move? Will this lead to an unfair monopoly on sports streaming? Competition in any industry is what keeps prices more manageable for consumers. Allowing three gigantic networks to come together could easily lead to high pricing; since the history of streaming companies is to start low then immediately start gouging.
Nevertheless, outside of customer satisfaction; FuboTV states the app would destroy their sports business model. Front Office Sports’ Alex Schiffer provides a little intel into this developing story. Schiffer reveals,
FuboTV has filed an antitrust lawsuit in an attempt to block the three-network sports streaming service announced by ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Fubo’s stock has declined since news of the streaming platform was announced, which caught many in the industry off guard, including the NBA and NFL. Streamers like Fubo would take the biggest hit by the new joint venture.
[Therefore] FuboTV is trying to block the three-network sports streaming service announced by ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery.
The sports streamer filed a lawsuit Tuesday with the Southern District of New York in an attempt to block the venture. Fubo is alleging the trio won’t let it carry a small bundle of channels that plan to be incorporated into the new service. The suit also asks for a jury trial and punitive damages.
The Wall Street Journal also backs up Fubo TV’s claims of being at risk of financial losses and damage. WSJ says ESPN, FOX and Discovery will use,
“Their power over commercially critical sports content to force Fubo to broadcast unwanted, expensive content that prevents Fubo from offering the sports-centric package of channels that its customers want.”
FuboTV Files Lawsuit to Block ESPN Fox and Warner Bros Discovery Sports Streaming Service
If you’re not too familiar with FuboTV Inc. The company defines itself as “an American streaming television service serving customers in the United States, Canada, and Spain that focuses primarily on channels that distribute live sports.” Since their whole structure is live sports, you can easily see why they are upset.
FuboTV is the little brother on the block; trying to take it to the big boys. As CNBC reports, Fubo feels as though ESPN, Warner Bros Discovery and FOX is engaging in,
“Extreme suppression of competition in the U.S. sports-focused streaming market. These horizontal competitors are colluding to create a JV that will cause substantial harm to competition and consumers.”
FuboTV CEO David Gandler sums things up, like this:
“Each of these companies has consistently engaged in anticompetitive practices that aim to monopolize the market, stifle any form of competition, create higher pricing for subscribers and cheat consumers from deserved choice. By joining together to exclusively reserve the rights to distribute a specialized live sports package, we believe these corporations are erecting insurmountable barriers that will effectively block any new competitors from entering the market.”
Not mincing words there. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how this battle of sports streaming plays out. We will keep you updated.
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