As YouTube prepares to air an exclusive NFL opening week game for free on September 5th, it’s hiring former Disney exec Justin Connolly.
The move has caused Disney to respond by suing both YouTube and Connolly, saying he was in the middle of leading the team negotiating Disney’s license renewal with YouTube.
He’d most recently been running the streaming services and linear media networks at Disney, and will take over as YouTube’s new global head of media and sports, as first reported by Bloomberg.
Connolly left Disney last week, just months before the launch of its standalone ESPN streaming service this fall.
In its complaint (which you can read below), Disney’s lawyers write: Critically, Connolly leads the Disney team negotiating a license renewal with YouTube.
YouTube is hiring former Disney executive Justin Connolly in advance of its September 5th free NFL opening week game. Connolly was in the middle of heading the team negotiating Disney’s license renewal with YouTube when the action occurred, according to Disney, which responded by suing both Connolly and YouTube.
According to Bloomberg, he will become YouTube’s new global head of media and sports. Most recently, he oversaw Disney’s streaming services and linear media networks. He has over 20 years of experience at Disney and ESPN, and he will be in charge of YouTube’s live sports coverage and relationship with the media companies that distribute content on YouTube TV.
Disney claims that YouTube coerced Connolly into breaking a three-year employment contract that began in January and would have kept him there as an executive until an early termination option on March 1st, 2027. The lawsuit was first reported by Bloomberg as well. It was filed yesterday in California Superior Court. Only a few months prior to the fall debut of its independent ESPN streaming service, Connolly departed Disney last week.
Disney’s attorneys write the following in their complaint, which you can read below.
Crucially, Connolly is in charge of the Disney team negotiating a YouTube license renewal. Connolly is well-versed in Disney’s other distribution agreements, the financial specifics of the YouTube license for Disney content, and Disney’s negotiating tactics generally and specifically with regard to YouTube. Connolly’s decision to break the terms of the contract he negotiated only a few months ago and switch teams while Disney is negotiating a new licensing agreement with the company attempting to steal him would be extremely detrimental to Disney.
Regarding the lawsuit, YouTube made no comments.
With over 8 million users and the addition of the NFL Sunday Ticket package in 2023, YouTube has emerged as a major player in live sports. Additionally, the platform will. YouTube disclosed earlier this year that its popularity on TVs has surpassed that of phones.
With Netflix’s broadcasts with the NFL and other events, Apple’s close ties to MLB and MLS, and Amazon’s plans to broadcast NBA games and Inside the NBA next season, other streaming services have also recently stepped up their attention to sports.
