Fubo Sports Network has launched on Hulu + Live TV's core $89.99 a month subscription plan, which also includes full access to the entire Hulu and Disney+ streaming libraries and live sports on ESPN.

The launch follows the close of Disney’s acquisition of Fubo and is the first example of potential synergies between their streaming operations.

Fubo Sports Network is the owned-and-operated FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channel from FuboTV Inc.

The network brings an additional 1,200 hours of live content each year to subscribers and streams everything from topical shows to sports documentaries and exclusive sporting events from breakout and niche leagues such as UEFA World Cup Qualifiers, UEFA Nations League, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) and World Poker Tour.

For Fubo Sports Network, availability on Hulu + Live TV significantly increases reach and distribution to millions of consumers while tapping into new audiences.

“Since the debut of Fubo Sports Network in 2019, we’ve drastically grown our footprint to reach more audiences than ever before, and Hulu + Live TV will unlock meaningful distribution for our flagship FAST channel,” said Pamela Duckworth, head of Fubo Studios, Fubo. “The future is bright and we are especially excited to collaborate with our new partners at Hulu + Live TV to kick off one of many joint growth opportunities.”

Since launching in 2017, Hulu + Live TV has continued to partner with major college and pro leagues and networks to deliver a robust sports portfolio that includes ESPN, TNT and TBS, as well as Fox’s FS1 and FS2 channels and the Fox, CBS, NBC and ABC broadcast networks, so passionate fans can watch their favorite sports live on Hulu. Beyond sports content, Hulu’s Live TV subscribers have access to more than 100 channels including national and local news and entertainment and features such as unlimited DVR.

The Walt Disney Company today announced they have closed their transaction to combine Fubo’s business with Disney’s Hulu + Live TV business.

Disney now holds 70% interest in the newly combined company with existing Fubo shareholders holding an approximately 30% interest.

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.

Fubo and Hulu + Live TV will continue to be available to consumers as separate and distinct services, each offering consumers multiple plan options from skinny to robust at compelling price points. Hulu + Live TV will continue to be streamed in the Hulu app and offered as part of an entertainment-focused bundle with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited. Fubo will continue to serve viewers in the Fubo app.

The acquisition of Fubo is a sign that, as consumers seek more value for the content they stream, streaming services are more likely to continue to consolidate. Although virtual MVPD’s like Disney’s Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and Fubo TV (whose specialty is sports), have become more popular in recent years, the costs involved in running them have been too high for these companies.

The newly combined Fubo and Hulu + Live TV business makes it the sixth largest pay TV company in the U.S. with nearly 6 million subscribers in North America and the second largest vMPVD after YouTube TV. The combined company will offer more than 55,000 live sporting events, and entertainment-focused programming offerings from Fubo and Hulu + Live TV.

The acquisition also allows Disney to strengthen its position as a juggernaut in live sports, with its ability to combine viewership from Fubo with its soon to be launched ESPN DTV streaming service.

Disney will also combine its marketing and sales teams for both services and says it will have more flexibility to optimize advertising efforts and offer more streaming packages, including the increasingly popular “skinny bundles. Disney says the combined company will have access to a $145 million term loan that it has dedicated to provide Fubo in 2026 as part of the transaction.

Sterlington PLLC advised Fubo’s management team in the deal.  The Sterlington team was led by Executive Compensation partners Jeremy L. Goldstein and Kristy Fields, who specialize in advising senior executives and management teams in complex corporate transactions.

Fubo will discuss the transaction on its third quarter 2025 investor conference call on Monday, Nov. 3 at 8:30 a.m. ET.

NEW YORK—Sports streamer Fubo said it lost subscribers but improved profitability in its latest quarter.

Reporting financial results for the first quarter ending March 31, FuboTV said its global streaming business “exceeded subscriber guidance and once again improved its profitability metrics.”

Revenue in North America for the quarter was $407.9 million, up 3.5% year-over-year (YoY), and 1.47 million paid subscribers, down 2.7% YoY. “These results met and exceeded Fubo’s applicable guidance range, respectively,” the company said.

In the Rest of World (ROW), Fubo delivered $8.4 million in total revenue, down 0.4% and 354,000 paid subscribers, down 10.9% YoY. These results met and exceeded Fubo’s applicable guidance range, respectively. ROW includes the results of Molotov, the French live TV streaming service acquired by Fubo in December 2021.

The company reported record revenue and subscriber growth for 2024. During the most recent quarter, Disney announced that it was taking a majority stake in Fubo, with plans to merge it with Hulu + Live TV. As part of the deal, Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery paid FuboTV $220 million to end antitrust litigation. In addition, Disney has committed to provide a $145 million term loan to Fubo in 2026 as part of the transaction.

“We are pleased with our performance in the first quarter and remain focused on our goal of achieving profitability in 2025 for our global streaming business,” said Edgar Bronfman Jr., executive chairman, Fubo. “We also remain excited about our agreement with The Walt Disney Company to combine Fubo with Hulu + Live TV, and its potential to increase competition in the pay-TV space. We continue to work through the regulatory process, and look forward to sharing more information when we are able.”

The Walt Disney Co. announced today that it is acquiring a majority stake in streaming service Fubo TV and combining it with its Hulu + Live TV MVPD service, resulting in a combined U.S. subscriber base of 6.2 million. The combined business will operate under the Fubo publicly traded company name and be led by the current management team; Fubo and Hulu + Live TV will continue to be available to consumers as separate offerings.

Under the terms of the definitive agreement, at closing Disney will own about 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.

The merger puts an end to a contentious period between the two companies in which Fubo has battled Disney over what it views as unfair competition from Disney’s collaboration with Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery on the new Venu streaming service. A judge halted the launch of Venu last August over antitrust concerns.

As part of the deal, the two companies said they have settled all litigation. Disney has also inked a new carriage agreement with Fubo that will allow Fubo to create a new Sports & Broadcast service, featuring Disney’s sports and broadcast networks including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network and ESPNEWS, as well as ESPN+. The combined company will negotiate carriage agreements with content providers for both Hulu + Live TV and Fubo services independently from Disney.

But it didn’t come without a cost: As part of the deal, 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.

Although the merger will provide a subscriber boost, Hulu + Live TV will still rank behind YouTube TV in terms of subscribers. YouTube TV most recently reported about 8 million subscribers, but that was a year ago and does not reflect the affect of last month’s $10 rate hike will have on numbers going forward. YouTube TV now costs $83 per month while a subscription to Hulu + Live TV (which also includes Hulu original content, something YouTube does not), ranges between $82 and $95 per month.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals, Fubo shareholder approval, and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

“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,” Gandler said. “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.”

Added Disney Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Development Justin Warbrooke: “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. 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.”

Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery announced the launch of their long-awaited premium streaming bundle for the United States. For $16.99 per month, subscribers will get ad-supported versions of Disney+, Hulu and Max; ad-free will cost $29.99 per month, a savings of 38%. The services are available for purchase on any of the three streaming platforms’ websites.

Between the three services, viewers will get a wide selection of content from ABC, CNN, DC, Discovery, Disney, Food Network, FX, HBO, HGTV, Hulu, Marvel, Pixar, Searchlight, Star Wars, Warner Bros., and many more. The two companies have launched a coordinated, cross-platform national marketing campaign focused on each streamer’s collection of fan-favorite TV series, films and characters. The campaign includes a robust blitz across national broadcast, social, digital, and owned-and-operated channels.

Along with popular hree complementary libraries including some of the greatest franchises like Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, Disney’s Frozen, The Avengers, Star Wars, and Toy Story and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Batman, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. In addition, subscribers can also enjoy an upcoming slate of must-watch premieres including Only Murders in the Building Season 4 on Hulu (Aug 27), Agatha All Along on Disney+ (Sept 18) and The Penguin on Max (Sept).

A vision of the future where Disney's charm is amplified through Hulu's streaming expertise isn't just a fanciful dream—it's becoming a reality. The volatile streaming industry is rife with both challenges and potential and Disney's digital-first initiative is key to their success.

The alliance between Disney and Hulu is expected to “result in increased engagement, greater ad revenue, reduce customer-acquisition costs and lower churn.” This forward-thinking strategy, as suggested by Disney's executive chairman, Bob Iger, harnesses the extensive digital subscription business acumen that Hulu brings, thus positioning Disney strongly in the modern media landscape.

Disney's integration of Hulu is not merely an addition to its portfolio, but a strategic move to leapfrog their success with deep digital subscription business experience.

What Hulu Brings To The Disney Table
In today's competitive streaming landscape, sustained customer acquisition and retention are vital, and Hulu has achieved remarkable success in a short period of time. The service has increased its subscriber base from 22.8 million in 2019 to 48.5 million in 2023, outpacing Disney+ in terms of new subscribers. 

(Read: Ampere: A Combined Disney+ Hulu Will Become Content King)

Beyond a vast content library, Hulu captivates users with an intuitive experience, targeted marketing campaigns and personalized recommendations that attract and engage a diverse, and valuable, audience.

The Challenges of Operating a Streaming Service
As Iger knows, running a streaming service comes with a number of challenges that require expertise and careful planning. The cost of acquiring new subscribers (CAC) can be high, especially in a crowded market. Retention is vital as churn rates can significantly impact profitability. This is where Hulu's experience can assist Disney in significantly increasing their subscription rate.

Striking the balance between customer acquisition and retention, while efficiently managing churn, service costs, and media supply chain efficiency, are all vital considerations for running a profitable streaming service. And all this while staying attuned to consumer habits! Considering all this, it is easy to understand why Disney perceived Hulu as a critical addition to stay ahead of the streaming curve.

So what is next for the combined business? Will bundling services through their merged app attract additional audiences? And what opportunities exist for substantial revenue generation for Disney?

Why A Unified Supply Chain is Key
A strategic vision alone is not enough to succeed in a rapidly changing streaming landscape—an efficient and flexible infrastructure is essential too. This is an area that Disney should focus on when bringing Hulu into the fold: removing multiple legacy supply chains and leveraging the cloud for operational efficiency and cost reduction.

A global, unified media supply chain—the backbone that powers their streaming operations - should support all business units, eliminating silos, rationalizing workflows, reducing overhead and enhancing agility. Further, advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence can identify and mitigate localization and library management inefficiencies including duplicated content removal and historical catalog indexation. A unified media supply chain will also empower Disney to collect and analyze key data across both Hulu and Disney+, enabling informed decision-making and business growth.

Finally, an area of potential cost savings for Disney could be looking to work with innovators in the video codec space, which, together with consolidated operations, could bring substantial cost savings.

Streaming Platforms Continue to Redefine Entertainment
There is no doubt that video streaming is top of the list for most people when it comes to entertainment: this is something that Bob Iger is acutely aware of, and has applied to his business vision by prioritizing streaming and theme parks. However, to date, these units have functioned independently, missing out on the potential synergies that could be achieved by seamlessly integrating the physical experience of Disney's theme parks with their digital offerings.

Some of Disney's competitors are ahead of that game, with Netflix encouraging audiences to visit locations featured in their popular series, and looking to open retail outlets that sell show-related merchandise, creating a holistic experience for subscribers.

This is where the mouse house seems to be missing significant monetization opportunities. Imagine a blend of Disney's physical and digital experiences, where a theme park ride seamlessly integrates with a binge-watching challenge.

When I sit with my family to watch a Disney movie on Hulu, they'd love me to buy related merchandise, or even better, book a trip to Disneyland on the spot! An intuitive user experience that makes it easy to purchase further through my streaming service would go a long way to build engagement and customer loyalty.

Disney's Digital-First Initiative Can Win with Hulu in the Driver's Seat
In a world where streaming services dominate the entertainment industry, Disney's acquisition of Hulu promises to strengthen its digital-first initiative—Hulu's proven experience in acquiring and retaining customers will bring much-needed momentum to Disney's streaming business.

However, to fully unlock this potential, a unified media supply chain that enables efficient operations and new monetization opportunities is essential, not only for the Disney + Hulu business but for all mergers and acquisitions in the streaming space.

Will Iger's strategy pay off? Only time will tell, but it's safe to say that with Hulu onboard, Disney is better positioned for success.

NEW YORK—Reported pay-TV numbers among some of the biggest providers—Comcast, AT&T, Charter Communications and Verizon; Dish Network and Atlice USA are still unreported—in the fourth quarter of 2019 were not strong. However, growth among virtual MVPDs, specifically Hulu Live and YouTube TV, helped reduce some of those loses, per a new report from MoffetNathanson.

In the report “U.S. Media: Get Those Life Boats Ready,” it is shown that the four aforementioned pay-TV providers lost nearly 1.5 million subscribers combined in Q4 2019; AT&T lost 907,000 subscribers by itself.

Yet, while the report’s author, Michael Nathanson, said he did not have enough data for precise numbers for Hulu Live and YouTube TV in Q4 2019, the research says they experienced “exceptionally strong” growth. With their addition, pay-TV’s recession in that quarter would improve from the record -6.8% to -3.5%.

TVT’s sister publication B&C has the full story.