The synergies between a Disney-owned Fubo and the Worldwide Leader in sports are about to become more apparent.
Fubo, the virtual pay-TV provider recently acquired by Disney, is expected to roll out an option to purchase its sports-focused skinny bundle through ESPN platforms in 2027, the company announced in a press release ahead of its quarterly earnings call on Wednesday. The initiative will allow users to purchase Fubo Sports, the provider’s slimmed-down bundle of sports channels, directly through ESPN platforms. Additionally, features such as ESPN.com’s “Where to Watch” pages will soon link directly to Fubo.
Fubo Sports is one of many sports-focused skinny bundles to have hit the market in recent years. At a monthly price of $56, Fubo Sports is more affordable than other sports skinny bundles, but does not include numerous networks that most sports fans would deem essential. Currently, Fubo Sports does not carry any of the TNT Sports networks, the Versant networks, NBC, or NBCSN.
A Fubo Sports subscription does, however, include access to ESPN Unlimited, the premium tier of ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer offering, which is required to watch exclusive content such as WWE Premium Live Events, certain Grand Slam tennis matches, and various studio programming.
The plans to offer Fubo Sports for purchase on ESPN platforms are being characterized as a “reseller and marketing arrangement” between the two entities. Presumably, this offering will not see Fubo Sports fully integrated within the ESPN app.
While Disney now owns a 70% stake in Fubo, the Fubo management team remains responsible for operating the company under the terms of the merger agreement. Disney formally combined Fubo’s operations with its other virtual pay-TV operator, Hulu + Live TV, shortly after the merger closed, though both are still available as standalone products.
Fubo has long positioned itself as a solution for sports fans who have left the traditional cable or satellite bundle. However, it is operating in an increasingly crowded space, with nearly every prominent distributor — both legacy cable and satellite distributors and virtual newcomers — having launched its own sports-focused offerings. And with a sports bundle that can generously be characterized as incomplete, Fubo will be heavily reliant on Disney to help the platform secure carriage of key networks in future distribution negotiations.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.