Copyright Adweek
Fubo is officially part of the Disney game plan. Today, Disney announced it has closed its deal to merge its Hulu + Live TV business with sports-focused streamer Fubo, creating a combined virtual multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) company. With the agreement, which was first announced in January, Disney becomes the majority owner of the resulting company, controlling 70% of Fubo. This new combined business is operating under Fubo’s existing management team, led by Fubo co-founder and CEO David Gandler. As a result of the streaming deal, Fubo becomes the sixth-largest pay TV company in the U.S., with nearly 6 million subscribers in North America. It’s also the second-largest all-digital TV service, behind YouTubeTV’s 10 million subscribers. Fubo and Hulu + Live TV will continue to be available as separate services, with each offering multiple plan options. According to the companies, the combined business expects to realize cost, revenue, and operational synergies through cost savings from flexible programming packaging, advertising, and sales and marketing. The combined company will have access to a $145 million term loan that Disney has committed to provide to Fubo in 2026.
