Fubo Channel Store launches with direct-to-consumer streaming plans

Fubo announced November 5, 2025, the launch of Fubo Channel Store, a centralized hub for premium standalone streaming plans that allows subscribers to access direct-to-consumer services without requiring a base Fubo subscription. The platform provides access to premium programming from multiple regional sports networks, DAZN One, Hallmark+, MGM+, Paramount+ with Showtime and Starz through a single application interface.

According to the announcement, Fubo Channel Store delivers what the company describes as "frictionless access" to premium standalone plans integrated directly into the Fubo experience. Subscribers can access all their premium programming in one location without switching between multiple applications. The standalone plans remain available to consumers who do not maintain a base Fubo subscription, expanding the platform's reach beyond its traditional subscriber base.

"At Fubo, we have always leaned into our proprietary tech stack to differentiate the user experience and solve consumer pain points," said David Gandler, co-founder and CEO of Fubo, according to the announcement. "We hear consumers' frustration with having to switch between multiple apps to access their favorite content. The Fubo Channel Store offers an aggregated and ingested experience for standalone plans, which include direct-to-consumer services, and delivers it to consumers through a single frictionless experience."

The initiative addresses a persistent challenge in the streaming landscape: application fatigue. As viewers accumulate subscriptions across multiple platforms, the need to navigate between different applications creates friction in the content discovery and consumption process. Fubo's approach consolidates access points while maintaining separate billing relationships with individual content providers.

Technical implementation and content strategy

Fubo Channel Store operates through a centralized interface that ingests content directly from participating providers. This technical architecture differs from simple application linking, which merely redirects users to external platforms. The integrated approach allows users to discover, access and view content without leaving the Fubo environment.

Premium standalone subscriptions currently available include direct-to-consumer services from multiple regional sports networks in select markets. The sports-focused offerings align with Fubo's historical positioning as a sports-first streaming platform. According to previous company statements, Fubo operates as the only live TV streaming platform in the United States offering every English-language Nielsen-rated sports channel.

The entertainment options encompass diverse content categories. DAZN One provides combat sports and boxing programming. Hallmark+ delivers family-friendly movies and original series. MGM+ offers premium theatrical releases and original productions. Paramount+ with Showtime combines two established premium services. Starz rounds out the lineup with its library of films and original series.

Subscribers to standalone plans through Fubo Channel Store receive automatic access to Fubo Free, a collection of nearly 200 free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels. This bundling strategy mirrors broader industry trendstoward ad-supported content tiers that expand audience reach while generating advertising revenue streams.

Advertising implications for streaming platforms

The launch occurs during significant transformation in streaming advertising technology. Connected TV advertising spending reached $33.35 billion in 2025, driven by enhanced targeting capabilities and improved ad formats across platforms. Fubo's aggregation approach creates concentrated advertising inventory opportunities that differ from fragmented multi-platform buying.

The integration of FAST channels alongside premium subscriptions establishes a dual monetization model. Premium subscribers pay direct fees for content access, while the bundled FAST channels generate advertising revenue. This hybrid approach reflects evolving strategies across streaming platforms as they balance subscription income with advertising growth.

Fubo has demonstrated consistent innovation in connected television advertising throughout its operations. The company introduced The Marquee in May 2024, allowing brands to create highly visible content sponsorships on Fubo's home screen with branded carousels, custom titles, logos, and themed backgrounds. Interactive CTV ad formats launched November 2024 included transactional ads with custom QR code overlays and gamified advertisements that increased purchase intent by 47% compared to standard video ads.

According to research from TVision announced by Fubo, viewers aged 25-54 are at least 23% more likely to be presentwhile watching content on Fubo compared to other benchmark categories, including cable and all categories of connected TV. This attention metric carries significant value for advertisers seeking engaged audiences rather than passive viewership.

Pause advertising capabilities expanded August 2025 through partnership with Magnite, creating engagement opportunities during natural viewing interruptions. The advertisement format appears when viewers pause content and disappears when playback resumes, offering what Magnite describes as "seamlessly integrated opportunities to engage with viewers" without disrupting the content experience.

Market context and competitive landscape

Fubo's Channel Store strategy emerges within a rapidly consolidating streaming market. The company completed its merger with Disney's Hulu + Live TV business October 29, 2025, creating what the companies describe as the sixth-largest pay TV company in the United States with nearly 6 million subscribers in North America. Disney holds approximately 70% interest in the combined entity, while existing Fubo shareholders retain approximately 30% interest.

The consolidation follows Fubo's transformation from independent competitor to Disney subsidiary, which began with an antitrust lawsuit challenging Disney's market dominance but concluded with Disney acquiring control through a settlement that resolved legal disputes. This ownership structure influences Fubo's strategic positioning within the broader streaming advertising ecosystem.

Direct-to-consumer streaming services have proliferated throughout 2025, creating both opportunities and challenges for content distribution. France's Ligue 1 launched its own streaming platform at €14.99 monthly in August 2025, marking the first time a football league created and operated its own broadcasting channel. This disintermediation trend demonstrates content owners' interest in establishing direct consumer relationships rather than relying exclusively on distribution partners.

Netflix expanded its programmatic advertising capabilities throughout 2024 and 2025, adding Amazon DSP as its fifth major programmatic partner. The streaming platform expects advertising revenue to roughly double in 2025, demonstrating the significant financial potential in advertising-supported streaming models. Microsoft launched Premium Streaming campaigns targeting Netflix and other premium inventory in August 2025, expanding advertiser access to connected television environments.

Roku streaming surpassed broadcast TV viewership for the third consecutive month in 2025, achieving record performance levels throughout the year and indicating sustained audience appetite for ad-supported streaming content. This viewing pattern shift creates opportunities for platforms that can aggregate premium content while maintaining advertising inventory quality.

Business model implications

The standalone plan approach represents a significant departure from traditional streaming service bundling strategies. Rather than requiring consumers to purchase complete service tiers to access specific content, Fubo Channel Store enables granular selection of individual services. This unbundling mirrors broader industry trends toward flexible consumption models that reduce subscription barriers.

Financial implications for content providers vary based on their distribution strategies. Premium services gain access to Fubo's existing user base and infrastructure without maintaining separate technical platforms. Regional sports networks, which have faced challenges with traditional distribution models, obtain direct consumer access through an established streaming platform.

The free FAST channel bundle creates a monetization pathway for users who might not convert to paid subscriptions. By providing value through ad-supported content, Fubo maintains user engagement while building advertising inventory scale. This approach aligns with research showing that two-thirds of Americans prefer ad-supported streaming over ad-free alternatives.

According to the company announcement, FuboTV Inc. ranks as the sixth largest Pay TV company in the United States based on UBS estimates as of June 30, 2025. The company appears on the Financial Times list of The Americas' Fastest-Growing Companies 2025. FuboTV Inc. owns Hulu + Live TV for entertainment, Fubo for sports, and Molotov for entertainment and sports, which stream in markets around the globe. The company operates as an affiliate of The Walt Disney Company following the October 2025 merger completion.

Technical infrastructure and user experience

Fubo Channel Store leverages the company's proprietary technology platform, optimized for live TV and sports viewership. The platform was the first virtual multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) to launch 4K streaming, MultiView functionality, and personalized game alerts. These technical capabilities differentiate Fubo from traditional cable providers and competing streaming services, though they require ongoing infrastructure investment to maintain performance during high-traffic events.

The centralized hub design addresses user experience friction points that have emerged as consumers navigate increasingly fragmented streaming landscapes. Rather than maintaining separate login credentials, application interfaces, and content libraries across multiple services, users access all their subscriptions through a unified experience. This consolidation reduces cognitive load and simplifies content discovery.

Browser support includes Windows, Mac, and Linux compatibility, while device platforms encompass Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, Xbox consoles, and mobile devices. This broad compatibility ensures users can access Channel Store content across their preferred viewing environments without technical limitations.

The ingestion architecture integrates content metadata, enabling unified search and recommendation systems across all available services. Users can discover content from multiple providers through single queries rather than conducting separate searches within individual applications. This metadata integration creates operational efficiencies that enhance the value proposition for both content providers and consumers.

Industry trends and future outlook

Global television advertising revenue grew 1.9% to reach $169.1 billion in 2025, marked by contrasting trajectories between traditional and streaming platforms. Streaming TV advertising surged 19.3%, while linear TV faced a 3.4% decline, highlighting the ongoing transformation of the television landscape. These market dynamics create favorable conditions for platforms that can aggregate premium streaming content while maintaining advertising capabilities.

California mandated volume control for streaming service advertisements through Senate Bill 576, signed into law October 6, 2025. The legislation requires streaming platforms to match advertisement volume to programming by July 2026, extending federal CALM Act standards to digital environments. This regulatory development demonstrates increasing scrutiny on streaming advertising practices and user experience considerations.

Programmatic advertising accounts for three-fourths of all CTV advertising activity, according to industry analysis. Publishers increasingly seek yield optimization tools as CTV budget allocation doubles from 14% in 2023 to 28% in 2025. Fubo's advertising innovations, including machine learning-powered ad podding and pause advertising, position the company to capture growing programmatic spending.

Nielsen data shows streaming officially surpassed combined broadcast and cable viewing for the first time in July 2025, with streaming platforms collectively reaching 46.0% market share. This milestone marks a fundamental shift in television consumption patterns that validates investment in streaming infrastructure and content aggregation platforms.

The streaming advertising sector continues maturing with duration-based metrics for streaming TV measurement, which value advertisement time rather than simple impression counts. These advances enable more accurate performance assessment and pricing for streaming inventory, benefiting both publishers and advertisers through improved transparency.

Why this matters

Fubo Channel Store represents a strategic response to consumer frustration with application fragmentation in streaming media consumption. For marketing professionals, the launch creates a consolidated access point for advertising inventory across multiple premium content providers, potentially simplifying campaign planning and execution.

The platform addresses a fundamental challenge in connected television advertising: reaching audiences efficiently across fragmented streaming environments. By aggregating multiple services within a single interface, Fubo reduces the operational complexity advertisers face when attempting to build comprehensive streaming campaigns.

The hybrid monetization model—combining paid subscriptions with ad-supported FAST channels—demonstrates how streaming platforms are diversifying revenue streams. This approach provides advertisers with multiple entry points to reach audiences, from premium ad inventory within subscription services to cost-effective FAST channel advertising.

Fubo's existing advertising innovations, including interactive formats, pause ads, and marquee placements, extend across the Channel Store environment. This consistent advertising infrastructure enables brands to deploy sophisticated campaigns across diverse content categories without adapting creative assets or buying processes for individual platforms.

The launch timing, following Fubo's merger with Hulu + Live TV and Disney's acquisition of controlling interest, positions Channel Store within a larger strategic framework. Disney's ownership provides access to extensive content licensing relationships and advertising partnerships that could expand Channel Store's content library and advertiser base.

For content providers, the platform offers distribution infrastructure without requiring independent platform maintenance. Regional sports networks, premium entertainment services, and specialty channels gain access to Fubo's subscriber base and technical capabilities while retaining direct consumer relationships.

The initiative reflects broader industry movement toward flexible, unbundled streaming models that prioritize consumer choice over forced package purchases. As subscription fatigue increases and viewers become more selective about their entertainment spending, platforms that offer granular control over content selection may gain competitive advantages.

Timeline

• May 1, 2024: Fubo introduces innovative CTV ad units including The Marquee, interactive ads, and home screen sponsorships
• November 18, 2024: Fubo launches interactive CTV ad formats with 47% higher purchase intent rate compared to standard video ads
• August 26, 2025: Magnite announces pause ads rollout for streaming TV including Fubo integration
• September 30, 2025: Fubo shareholders approve Disney's Hulu + Live TV merger creating sixth-largest pay TV provider
• October 29, 2025: Fubo and Hulu + Live TV complete merger with Disney holding 70% interest
• November 5, 2025: Fubo Channel Store launches with premium standalone plans

Summary

Who: FuboTV Inc., a sports-first live TV streaming platform that completed a merger with Disney's Hulu + Live TV business in October 2025, creating the sixth-largest pay TV company in the United States with nearly 6 million subscribers. The company operates under CEO David Gandler as an affiliate of The Walt Disney Company.

What: Fubo Channel Store, a centralized platform providing frictionless access to premium standalone streaming plans including regional sports networks, DAZN One, Hallmark+, MGM+, Paramount+ with Showtime, and Starz. Subscribers receive access to nearly 200 FAST channels through Fubo Free without requiring a base Fubo subscription. The platform integrates content directly into the Fubo experience, eliminating the need to switch between multiple applications.

When: The announcement occurred November 5, 2025, launching the service immediately with premium standalone plans and FAST channel access for consumers.

Where: The service operates within Fubo's existing streaming platform infrastructure, accessible across multiple devices including Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, Xbox consoles, mobile devices, and web browsers supporting Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.

Why: The launch addresses consumer frustration with application fragmentation in streaming media consumption, where viewers must switch between multiple apps to access their content. Fubo Channel Store solves this pain point through aggregated access while creating new advertising inventory opportunities as connected TV spending reaches $33.35 billion in 2025. The platform enables content providers to reach Fubo's subscriber base without maintaining separate technical infrastructure, while offering consumers flexible, unbundled streaming options without forced package purchases.