Disney Urges Court to Toss Streaming Live TV Antitrust Suit

Walt Disney Co. tried to convince a federal judge Thursday to dismiss an antitrust lawsuit alleging its agreements with other streaming live television providers unreasonably restrained trade and led to price hikes.

Disney is the majority owner of the ESPN sports channels and the video streaming service Hulu, which offers Hulu + Live TV. The plaintiffs, 25 subscribers to YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream, brought a potential class action alleging Disney entered into agreements with the rival SLPTVs barring any of them from offering a bundle to their subscribers at a lower price than the bundle containing ESPN, Disney’s ...