Fubo and Hulu Live TV are officially joining forces.
After some buzz earlier this year about the groundbreaking transaction, it’s now a done deal. The two companies announced on Wednesday that they’ve wrapped up their agreement to combine Fubo’s sports-centric platform with Hulu’s live TV service, following a nod of approval from Fubo shareholders last month.
This is a game-changer in the streaming landscape as the new entity becomes the sixth-largest Pay TV provider in the U.S., boasting nearly 6 million subscribers. That puts the newly combined company in direct competition with YouTube TV, which leads with around 10 million subscribers.
Although this deal creates a larger entity and impacts market competition by reducing the number of independent streaming players, sources report that Disney and Fubo have received clearance from the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division to proceed with the transaction.
One key highlight is the integration of Fubo’s sports offering with Hulu’s comprehensive entertainment library. Together, the platform offers an impressive lineup of over 55,000 live sporting events each year, a significant draw for sports fans. Additionally, Fubo subscribers will have access to a substantial collection of popular shows and movies that were previously unavailable to them.
Another benefit of the merger is that it will offer customers more flexible options. The companies plan to offer several plan options, including smaller “skinny” bundles and more “robust” offerings, all at prices the two companies consider competitive.
However, users can still access both platforms separately—Fubo will keep its dedicated app, while Hulu Live TV will remain part of the Hulu platform, included in Disney’s bundle that features Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN Unlimited.
Disney will hold approximately a 70% interest in the newly combined company, while existing Fubo shareholders will retain around 30%. Additionally, the combined company will have access to a $145 million term loan that Disney has agreed to provide to Fubo in 2026 as part of the transaction.
This announcement comes on the heels of intriguing developments regarding Paramount’s interest in acquiring Warner Bros. Reports indicate that Paramount CEO David Ellison wants to discontinue HBO Max as a standalone streaming service and merge its content and user base into Paramount+.
