Disney logo is seen on the store in Rome, Italy on May 10, 2025.
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
WaltDisneyseekstostopAlphabet’sYouTube, which announced Thursday that it has appointed long-time executive Justin Connolly as its global head ofmediaandsports.
Disneyfiled a lawsuit againstYouTubein a state court in Los Angeles late Wednesday tostopthe appointment, alleging breach of contract, unfair competitionandinterference with a contractual relationship.
Disneyclaimed thatYouTubeisandhas been aware of Connolly’s employment agreement, which required him to work forDisneythrough at least March 1, 2027. He signed a new three-year contract in November 2024 that gave him a one-time right to terminate it until March 2027.
Itseeksa preliminaryandpermanent injunction to prevent Connollyfromfurther breaching the contract.
YouTubedid not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Connolly will manage the platform’s relationships with majormediacompanies as well as take charge of the company’s growing live-sportsportfolio, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The popular video sharing platform has been aggressively pursuing livesportsfor the past few years, alongside competitors such as NetflixandAmazon, in a bid to take advantage of its massive user baseandlargesportsaudience.
YouTubeinked a $14 billion NFL streaming deal in 2022, which enables it to stream big football matches, while Amazonandothermediafirms also rushed tosecure bigsportsstreaming deals.
The platform has also expanded beyond traditional video sharingandinto live TV, musicandpodcasts,andgenerates billions in advertising revenuefromits vast content reserves.
Connolly spent over two decades at ESPNandDisneyandexited his role as head of platform distribution earlier this week asDisneygears up to launch its ESPNsportsstreaming platform.
About The Author
