For Disney-Fox-WBD Sports Streaming Venture, 'Price is King,' Testifies Fubo CEO David Gandler – Knowligent
For Disney-Fox-WBD Sports Streaming Venture, 'Price is King,' Testifies Fubo CEO David Gandler

For Disney-Fox-WBD Sports Streaming Venture, 'Price is King,' Testifies Fubo CEO David Gandler

HomeNewsFor Disney-Fox-WBD Sports Streaming Venture, 'Price is King,' Testifies Fubo CEO David Gandler

Fubo CEO David Gandler on Tuesday traded fierce criticism with lawyers for Disney and Fox Corp., two of the three media companies behind the streaming joint venture Venu Sports.

Fubo CEO on Disney and Fox lawsuit: 'Sports cartel' hurts customers and competition

In February, Fubo filed an antitrust lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New York against Fox, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery. The lawsuit alleges that the companies acted as a monopoly in a coordinated effort to drive Fubo out of business with a cheaper bundle of sports-focused programming. Fubo subsequently sought a preliminary injunction, which, if granted (a big if), would prevent Venu from proceeding with its planned launch in the coming weeks. The hearing on the injunction began Tuesday morning with opening statements from both sides.

At $43 per month, Venu is considerably cheaper than Fubo’s entry-level subscription, which costs $80. The service doesn’t include sports programming from NBCUniversal or Paramount Sports Programming, the other two big players in the industry. Still, Gandler repeatedly called attention to the price difference. “Price is king, and $42.99 is an attractive price for a significant number of sports,” he said at one point

During nearly two hours under oath, the CEO maintained his composure as opposing lawyers cross-examined him, occasionally arguing their case when they sought to cast doubt on his judgment. While it never came to blows, there were a few sharp exchanges between the sides. Defense attorneys attempted to undermine Gandler’s central claim that Fubo had long attempted to create a sports-focused package but had been rebuffed by the same programmers now working on the same concept with Venu.