Democratic senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren ask DOJ to block ESPN, Fox Sports, TNT joint venture Venu Sports

Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are reportedly asking the DOJ to potentially block the new Venu Sports streaming service, according to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand.

“NEWS: Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are asking the DOJ to investigate and potentially block ESPN, Fox Sports and TNT Sports from starting their direct to consumer service called Venu Sports, according to a letter obtained by The Athletic,” Marchand wrote on Twitter.

Venu Sports is slated to begin soon at a rate of $42.99 per month and subscribers will not need a cable subscription. This new service will allow access to all programming and games from the three networks and their affiliates, such as ABC and FOX, plus ESPN+.

“In the letter, obtained by The Athletic, the three Democrats urged the Department of Justice to examine Venu Sports ‘and oppose it if it violates antitrust or telecommunications laws or regulations.'” Marchand wrote. “They also think that Venu being described as a joint venture should not prevent it from scrutiny.”

In the letter obtained by The Athletic, the trio of Sanders, Warren and representative Joaquin Castro “expressed serious” concerns. Venu Sports is “poised to control more than 80 percent of nationally broadcast sports and half of all national sports content, putting it in a position to exercise monopoly power over televised sports.”

The letter also states: “The market power of its three giant parent companies would enable it to discriminate against competitors and increase prices for consumers.”

Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren going after Venu Sports

CEO Pete Distad released a statement regarding the release of Venu Sports back in May.

“We are excited to officially introduce Venu Sports, a brand that we feel captures the spirit of an all-new streaming home where sports fans outside of the traditional pay TV eco-system can experience an incredible collection of live sports, all in one place,” Distad said.

“As preparations for the platform continue to accelerate, we are singularly focused on delivering a best-in-class product for our target audience, built from the ground up using the latest technologies to engage and entertain discerning sports fans wanting one-stop access to live games.”

Venu Sports is set to launch this fall.

“Venu Sports, the innovative future streaming platform being built through the joint venture created by ESPN, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery, will bring together the collective companies’ portfolios of sports networks and ESPN+ – including content from all the major professional sports leagues and college sports,” the service’s about information read.

“The formation and launch of the new service is subject to regulatory approval and the finalization of definitive agreements amongst the parties. Venu Sports, scheduled to launch in the fall of 2024, will be made available directly to consumers via a new app. Subscribers would also have the ability to bundle the product, including with Disney+, Hulu or Max. The platform will aggregate content to offer fans an extensive, dynamic lineup of sports content to serve sports fans, particularly those outside of the traditional pay TV bundle.”