Streaming firm FuboTV sues Disney, FOX, Warner Bros. Discovery for antitrust practices

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - US-based streaming television services provider FuboTV announced Tuesday that it has filed an antitrust lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company, FOX Corp., Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. and their affiliates.

The company alleges that the vertically-integrated media companies have engaged in a years-long campaign to block Fubo’s innovative sports-first streaming business, resulting in significant harm to both Fubo and consumers, according to a statement.

“For decades, Defendants have leveraged their iron grip on sports content to extract billions of dollars in supra-competitive profits," said the statement.

"Each of these companies has consistently engaged in anticompetitive practices that aim to monopolize the market, stifle any form of competition, create higher pricing for subscribers and cheat consumers from deserved choice. By joining together to exclusively reserve the rights to distribute a specialized live sports package, we believe these corporations are erecting insurmountable barriers that will effectively block any new competitors from entering the market," it added.

FuboTV said in its complaint that it requires the parties impose restrictions on the defendants in order to proceed, such as economic parity of licensing terms and substantial damages from the defendants.