ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery’s upcoming sports streaming platform has scored a former Apple exec as CEO.
Top line
Today, the three companies named Pete Distad as CEO of their new joint sports streamer.
Distad most recently served as an executive at Apple for a decade and also spent six years at Hulu.
Between the lines
As CEO, Distad will oversee all aspects of the joint venture, including strategy, distribution, marketing and sales.
“Pete is an accomplished innovator and leader who has extensive experience with launching and growing new video services,” ESPN, Fox and WBD said in a joint statement. “We are confident he and his team will build an extremely compelling, fan-focused product for our target market.”
Upon the establishment of the streamer, Distad will report to its board of directors, which will include representatives selected by each of the three companies. He will be based in L.A., along with the independent management team he will assemble.
“This is an incredible opportunity to build and grow a differentiated product that will serve passionate sports fans in the U.S. outside of the traditional pay TV bundle,” Distad said. “I’m excited to be able to pull together the industry-leading sports content portfolios from these three companies to deliver a new best-in-class service.”
Distad was at Apple from 2013-2023, where he was responsible for the business, operations and global distribution for video, sports and Apple TV+. He also launched Apple TV in 2015 and later led teams that launched and scaled the Apple TV app, Apple TV+ and MLS Season Pass.
He also previously worked at Hulu, where he served as svp of marketing and distribution and was part of the Hulu launch team, overseeing customer acquisition and retention, distribution and marketing.
Bottom line
Fox, ESPN and WBD surprisingly announced the combined sports streamer in February, with a launch date scheduled for the fall of 2024. The product will combine 14 linear networks, including Fox and its portfolio of affiliates, ESPN and its products, and WBD’s cablers, and could completely change the sports streaming space and rights moving forward.
Speaking during an earnings call last month, Lachlan Murdoch, Fox CEO and executive chair, said the new venture would create additional revenue streams by reaching new consumers.