Updated: Hulu Live to Merge With Fubo

By Phillip Swann
The  TV Answer Man – Follow me on X.

Disney today announced that Hulu Live will combine with Fubo’s live service which would create a streamer with roughly 6.5 million subscribers combined, second only to YouTube TV in the category. The companies said Fubo’s management team, led by CEO David Gandler, would lead the new service.

Bloomberg News was the first to report that a deal was close.

Update: What channels might be included in the Fubo/Hulu Live service?

Disney will own 70 percent of the combined streaming venture while Fubo would own the rest. As part of the deal, Fubo agrees to drop its lawsuit against Venu, the joint streaming service owned by Disney, Fox and Discovery Warner Bros. Fubo has won a temporary injunction against Venu, claiming it would violate anti-trust laws.

The Hulu Live/Fubo service could be a strong competitor to YouTube TV and traditional cable and satellite operators. Fubo has a rich sports lineup with 26 regional sports networks, second only to DIRECTV Stream in the live streaming industry.

Hulu Live also has the Turner networks, including TBS and TNT, while Fubo does not. Disney said today that Hulu’s Video on Demand lineup would not be part of the new service.

Federal regulators will have to approve the deal and that could take a year or more.

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The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered television for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.