The video streaming giant YouTube made news on Thursday afternoon, as it was reported that they had hired long-time Walt Disney Company executive Justin Connolly to serve as its first global head of media and sports. Connolly would be joining the streaming platform in a position that would put him in charge of the service’s relationships with major media companies, including those that supply content to YouTube TV. Furthermore, he would also be placed in charge of the company’s sports portfolio, according to a memo written by YouTube’s CBO Mary Ellen Coe, which was obtained by Bloomberg.
Shortly after the report, Connolly’s former employer at Walt Disney filed suit against YouTube in state court to halt the hire of Connolly to the streaming giant. According to the suit filed in Los Angeles, Disney alleges breach of contract, interference in contractual relationship, and unfair competition.
Specifically, the complaint states that Connolly signed a three-year agreement in November of 2024 that included a one-time right to terminate in March of 2027.
In recent years, YouTube has become a major player in attempting to acquire more broadcasting rights from sports leagues. For example, YouTube and YouTube TV have served as the exclusive home of NFL Sunday Ticket since 2023. The package includes all out-of-market Sunday games broadcast on CBS and FOX, giving fans across the United States the chance to follow their favorite teams and players regardless of location.
Moreover, the NFL and Google, YouTube’s parent company, have been partners since 2015, when the league launched its official YouTube channel. Just last week, the NFL announced that YouTube will exclusively stream the Friday night Week 1 game of the 2025 NFL season live from São Paulo, Brazil, on September 5. The game will be available for free to a global audience on both YouTube and YouTube TV, marking the first time an entire NFL game will be streamed live and exclusively on the platform.
Connolly has spent over two decades working for Disney and ESPN, most recently serving as Disney’s head of platform distribution by licensing Disney’s TV networks to providers such as YouTube TV.
As of posting, YouTube, Connolly, and the Walt Disney Company have all not shared comment since the lawsuit was filed.
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