Entering the Venu: Fox, WBD, ESPN announce new name for sports streaming service
Still on track to launch this fall
After first announcing the new sports streaming service in February, Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery finally came up with a name: Venu.
Not to be confused with Venmo the Internet Pay app, or Ventura, the transit card used by the CTA, Pace, and Metra, the service is still on track to launch sometime in August but a date has yet to be announced, as is a price point. The service is also facing legal challenges from Fubo and the Justice Department, which is looking at the joint venture regarding anti-trust concerns.
The name and logo were announced Thursday morning by CEO Pete Distad: “We are excited to officially introduce Venu Sports, a brand that we feel captures the spirit of an all-new streaming home where sports fans outside of the traditional pay TV eco-system can experience an incredible collection of live sports, all in one place,” he said. “As preparations for the platform continue to accelerate, we are singularly focused on delivering a best-in-class product for our target audience, built from the ground up using the latest technologies to engage and entertain discerning sports fans wanting one-stop access to live games.”
The service will feature fourteen linear networks, including ABC and Fox, and the affiliates who carry them with ABC 7 (WLS-TV) and Fox 32 (WFLD) contributing. Others include ESPN, ESPN 2, TNT, and FS1. Networks from NBCUniversal and Paramount Global are not included and a predicted price point from analysts should be around $40 per month, lower than the $75 monthly rate YouTubeTV has.
The footer on Venu’s website notes: “Launch is conditional on receiving regulatory approval and is expected for Fall 2024. This site is owned and operated by a subsidiary of FOX Corporation.” The interesting tidbit here is that Fox is running this operation and needs “regulatory approval”, referencing the Justice Department probe.
Viewers can also bundle the service with Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max. Recently, all three streamers announced a bundling plan.
The possibility of Warner’s TNT losing NBA rights after next season should not affect Venu.