Fubo Sports Network now streams on Hulu + Live TV's $89.99 plan, bringing 1,200 hours of annual sports content to Disney's platform following October 2025 merger completion.
This week marks the first distribution synergy following Disney's acquisition of majority control over FuboTV, as Fubo Sports Network becomes available to Hulu + Live TV subscribers without additional cost. The owned-and-operated FAST channel from FuboTV Inc. (NYSE: FUBO) streams across Hulu's platform starting February 10, 2026, according to the company announcement.
Subscribers paying $89.99 monthly for Hulu + Live TV's core plan gain immediate access to the free ad-supported streaming television channel. The package includes full access to Hulu and Disney+ streaming libraries alongside live sports on ESPN. Fubo Sports Network delivers 1,200 hours of live content annually, featuring UEFA World Cup Qualifiers, UEFA Nations League, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, and World Poker Tour coverage.
The distribution represents the initial cross-platform opportunity following the October 29, 2025 business combination that created the sixth-largest pay TV company in the United States. Disney holds approximately 70% ownership of the combined operations, with existing Fubo shareholders retaining 30% interest. The merger combined nearly 6 million subscribers across North America under unified ownership while maintaining separate consumer brands.
Pamela Duckworth, head of Fubo Studios at Fubo, characterized the distribution as meaningful expansion for the network. "Since the debut of Fubo Sports Network in 2019, we've drastically grown our footprint to reach more audiences than ever before, and Hulu + Live TV will unlock meaningful distribution for our flagship FAST channel," Duckworth stated in the announcement. The executive emphasized collaboration opportunities with Hulu + Live TV partners following the business combination.
The launch positions Fubo Sports Network within Disney's expanded streaming advertising ecosystem that generated record revenue during first quarter fiscal 2026. Disney+ and Hulu advertising revenue reached unprecedented levels, monetizing 122 million ad-supported streaming subscribers. Entertainment SVOD operating income climbed 72% year-over-year to $450 million during the quarter ended December 27, 2025.
Hulu + Live TV has maintained partnerships with major college and professional leagues since launching in 2017. The platform delivers sports content through ESPN, TNT, TBS, Fox's FS1 and FS2 channels, and broadcast networks including Fox, CBS, NBC, and ABC. Subscribers access more than 100 channels including national and local news, entertainment programming, and unlimited DVR functionality.
The FAST channel format aligns with broader industry trends documented across connected television platforms throughout 2025. Free ad-supported streaming television channels grew 42% since mid-2023, according to Gracenote analysis. Media investment group GroupM projects streaming revenue will overtake linear TV revenue by 2029, while Grand View Research estimates the global FAST market reached $9.4 billion in 2024 with expected compound annual growth rate of 23% through 2030.
Fubo Sports Network operates as the owned FAST channel from the live TV streaming company. The network features topical shows, sports documentaries, and exclusive sporting events from breakout and niche leagues. Content partnerships span Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, Professional Fighters League, and World Poker Tour among others. The female-founded network launched in 2019, preceding the broader FAST channel proliferation documented across streaming platforms.
The distribution expansion creates additional advertising inventory within Disney's integrated streaming advertising infrastructure. Disney established direct connections between its Real-Time Ad Exchange and major demand-side platforms throughout 2025. The entertainment giant integrated DRAX with Amazon DSP in June 2025, providing advertisers access to premium inventory across Disney+, ESPN, and Hulu while leveraging insights from both companies.
Disney's advertising revenue growth occurred alongside expanded programmatic access to streaming inventory. The company connected DRAX directly to Google's DV360 and The Trade Desk in March 2024, simplifying advertiser access to premium inventory across streaming platforms. Disney expanded biddable ad technology across streaming platforms in April 2025, making live content from Hulu and Disney+ available through programmatic channels.
For Fubo Sports Network, availability on Hulu + Live TV significantly increases reach and distribution to millions of consumers while accessing new audiences. The channel already streams free on Amazon Prime Video, LG Channels, Samsung TV Plus, Sling Freestream, The Roku Channel, VIZIO WatchFree+, Tubi, Plex, TCL Channels, TCL Live TV, and Tablo TV. Fubo Sports Network operates as part of DAZN's subscription packages and Fubo's subscription packages aggregating more than 400 live sports, news, and entertainment networks.
Live sports advertising demonstrates superior performance compared to traditional placements across streaming platforms. Research from EDO's 2025 NFL TV Outcomes Report found NFL advertisements running during streaming-exclusive games were 66% more effective for brands than broadcast and cable offerings. The effectiveness advantage stems from streaming platforms' technical capabilities including real-time targeting, dynamic ad insertion, and immediate conversion tracking. Amazon Prime Video's Black Friday NFL game achieved advertisements that were 51% more effective than spots aired during Thanksgiving Day broadcasts, while Netflix's Christmas Day NFL games produced advertisements 84% more effective for entertainment brands than average NFL broadcasts.
Premium sports streaming inventory has become increasingly accessible through programmatic advertising systems enabling automated purchasing. PubMatic launched an AI-powered Live Sports Marketplace in July 2025 that enables advertisers to target specific game moments across streaming platforms in real-time through proprietary technology analyzing live game data. The platform addresses critical pain points including inability to distinguish between high and low-engagement moments during games. Current systems often fail to distinguish between low- and high-engagement moments, leading to wasted impressions during less impactful periods such as commercial breaks in lopsided games.
The technical infrastructure supporting live sports advertising has advanced substantially, with platforms developing capabilities that handle sudden viewership spikes while maintaining delivery quality. Viewership surges unpredictably based on competitive dynamics, weather conditions, and performance by popular athletes. Advertising systems must accommodate these fluctuations while preserving broadcast-quality standards that sports fans demand. The infrastructure enables sophisticated audience segmentation using behavioral data, first-party information, and contextual signals that mirror targeting precision available in display and video advertising.
Sports content streaming extends reach beyond traditional broadcast footprints through digital distribution channels. Students attending universities outside their home regions access team broadcasts through digital streams when television coverage proves unavailable. Alumni maintaining connections to alma mater athletic programs access game broadcasts through streaming platforms regardless of geographic location. The mobile accessibility of streaming aligns with consumption patterns among college-age audiences and younger demographics demonstrating cord-cutting behaviors.
The transaction resolved FuboTV's antitrust lawsuit challenging Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery's proposed Venu Sports joint venture. Fubo received a $220 million one-time payment, while Disney committed to providing a $145 million term loan in 2026. The companies terminated the Venu Sports venture on January 13, 2025, one week after announcing the merger agreement.
Both Fubo and Hulu + Live TV continue operating as separate consumer offerings with distinct positioning. The combined company expects to realize synergies through content cost savings achieved by more flexible programming packaging, advertising optimization, and sales and marketing opportunities. Fubo's advertising sales group transitioned to Disney's advertising sales organization following transaction completion.
Disney reported first quarter fiscal 2026 results showing North America revenue of $1.543 billion for the combined operations. The quarterly performance reflected complex reporting encompassing the period from September 28, 2025, through December 31, 2025, with the merger closing October 29, 2025. The company simultaneously revealed plans for a reseller arrangement with ESPN that would distribute Fubo Sports through ESPN's commerce infrastructure.
The combined entity serves nearly 6 million subscribers across North America, creating a more formidable competitor against YouTube TV and other streaming platforms. YouTube TV maintains the largest subscriber base among internet television providers with more than 9 million paying customers, while Hulu + Live TV ranked second before the mergerwith approximately 4 million subscribers.
Disney's streaming platforms competed in an expanding market where CTV revenue growth exceeded 50% year-over-year for programmatic advertising technology providers during 2025. PubMatic reported working with 26 of the top 30 global streaming companies in the second quarter of 2025, representing 87% coverage of leading streaming platforms. The acceleration reflects fundamental shifts in how advertisers allocate budgets across video advertising channels as audiences migrate from traditional television to streaming platforms.
The FAST channel format has captured significant audience attention, with 43% of viewers watching ad-supported free streaming according to FreeWheel's research. The report indicates 87% of FAST reach proves incremental to traditional TV campaigns, creating advertising opportunities beyond conventional television buys. Fifty-three percent of advertisers plan to allocate budget to FAST within the next six months, according to FreeWheel data. These planning decisions occur as connected TV advertising spending approaches critical mass among marketing professionals seeking to reach cord-cutting audiences.
Major FAST platforms including Tubi, Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel have initiated participation in annual TV upfront presentations to advertisers, signaling the format's maturation into mainstream advertising channels. According to the IAB's 2024 Digital Video Ad Spend report, investment in FAST now matches spending on virtual multichannel video programming distributors and streaming platforms, with 75% of connected TV advertising purchased programmatically. Nielsen's 2024 Annual Marketing Report indicates 17% of global marketers expect to increase CTV investments by 50% or more over the coming year.
The programmatic infrastructure supporting FAST channels has developed substantially throughout 2025, with platforms implementing sophisticated yield optimization and demand mediation systems. FanDuel Sports Network achieved 25% year-over-year increase in total impressions served through Magnite's SpringServe video platform during 2025. The growth occurred across streaming infrastructure as networks accelerated investment in live sports streaming capabilities, demonstrating advertiser demand for live sports inventory across digital platforms.
Advertiser response to FAST channels demonstrates commitment to the format despite ongoing measurement challenges. Industry research projects continued expansion as platforms address metadata deficiencies that impact content discovery capabilities. Gracenote analysis found 31% of TV programs submitted for metadata enrichment lacked genre information, while many programs missed imagery, parental ratings, and production year data. These technical limitations affect both channel-level and program-level categorization, creating obstacles for advertising systems requiring detailed content classification.
Connected TV advertising spending approaches $33.35 billion in 2025, driven by enhanced targeting capabilities and improved measurement across streaming platforms. Retail media and connected television are converging, with retail media advertising spend on CTV projected to grow three times faster than retail media search. This convergence enables brands to leverage first-party data including purchase history and browsing behavior for highly personalized advertisements in streaming environments.
Measurement capabilities continue advancing across streaming platforms. AudienceProject expanded cross-media measurement to Poland during first quarter 2026, providing Polish advertisers with independent measurement capabilities across the open web, social media, online video, and connected television. The company launched direct integration with Disney+ enabling advertisers to measure campaigns across all devices within AudienceReport.
Streaming platforms increasingly function as advertising delivery systems, with features designed to maintain viewer engagement and provide targeting opportunities. Smart TV home screens have replaced traditional movie trailers as the primary discovery surface for theatrical releases and streaming rentals, according to research from LG Ad Solutions. Television advertisements emerged as the dominant discovery channel for new movies, with 79% of respondents citing TV ads as a source for learning about upcoming releases.
The Fubo Sports Network distribution represents Disney's strategic approach to maximizing value across its streaming portfolio while creating comprehensive advertising solutions for brands. The company operates multiple streaming platforms including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN while maintaining extensive content production capabilities across film studios, television networks, and sports programming. Disney's approach combines traditional media expertise with advanced advertising technology to create comprehensive digital advertising solutions.
Who: FuboTV Inc. (NYSE: FUBO), owned 70% by The Walt Disney Company following their October 2025 merger, operates Fubo Sports Network. Hulu + Live TV subscribers gain access to the channel. Pamela Duckworth, head of Fubo Studios, announced the distribution expansion.
What: Fubo Sports Network, a free ad-supported streaming television channel, launched on Hulu + Live TV's $89.99 monthly subscription plan. The channel streams 1,200 hours of live content annually including UEFA World Cup Qualifiers, UEFA Nations League, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, and World Poker Tour. Subscribers receive access without additional fees alongside full Hulu and Disney+ streaming libraries and live sports on ESPN.
When: Fubo Sports Network became available on Hulu + Live TV starting February 10, 2026, approximately three months after Disney completed its acquisition of 70% control over FuboTV on October 29, 2025.
Where: The channel streams across Hulu + Live TV's platform in the United States, reaching millions of subscribers. Fubo Sports Network already operates on Amazon Prime Video, LG Channels, Samsung TV Plus, Sling Freestream, The Roku Channel, VIZIO WatchFree+, Tubi, Plex, TCL Channels, TCL Live TV, and Tablo TV.
Why: The launch represents the first synergistic distribution opportunity following Disney's merger with Fubo's Hulu + Live TV operations, significantly increasing reach and distribution for Fubo Sports Network while providing Hulu + Live TV subscribers additional sports content. The distribution creates new advertising inventory within Disney's integrated streaming advertising infrastructure and demonstrates the company's approach to maximizing value across its portfolio following the $220 million settlement that resolved FuboTV's antitrust lawsuit and created the sixth-largest pay TV company in the United States.
