Los Angeles, California – Venu Sports, a collaboration between Disney’s ESPN, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox, has recently announced its complete management team. The team’s lineup, led by former Apple and Hulu executive Pete Distad as CEO, consists of executives from various industries such as entertainment, media, technology, sports, and sports betting.
Among the notable members are Brian Borkowski, who will take on the role of chief marketing officer and comes from FanDuel, and Jessica Casano-Antonellis, the senior vice president and head of communications previously with Sirius XM. Tim Connolly, appointed as the chief business officer, has experience in subscriber growth through his past roles at Apple.
Distad expressed his excitement in handpicking a team to build the foundation of Venu Sports, highlighting the importance of innovation, culture, and growth for the upcoming service. The streaming service, announced in February, is expected to launch in the fall amidst increasing pressure for media companies to expand their platforms and achieve profitability.
Venu Sports aims to combine the extensive sports networks of the three partnering companies, covering approximately 55% of US sports rights. The platform will be accessible directly to consumers through a new app, with options to bundle the service with Disney+, Hulu, or Max for added convenience.
As the industry evolves with the rise of streaming services, the introduction of Venu Sports presents an opportunity for sports fans to access a wide range of content from a single platform. With a diverse and experienced management team in place, the venture is poised to make a significant impact in the sports streaming landscape.