YouTube has become a growing force in live sports, with its live TV streaming service amassing more than 8 million subscribers and adding the NFL Sunday Ticket package in 2023. The platform will also. Earlier this year, YouTube revealed that it has become more popular on TVs than phones.

In response, Disney is suing YouTube and Connolly, sources briefed on the situation told The Athletic. Connolly was under contract to Disney and was at ESPN’s launch last week of its much-anticipated direct-to-consumer product that is due to begin in the fall. Connolly had been with Disney/ESPN for more than two decades.

Walt Disney seeks to stop Alphabet's YouTube, which announced on Thursday that it has appointed long-time executive Justin Connolly as its global head of media and sports.