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May 23, 2025 — Los Angeles, CA
The Walt Disney Company has taken legal action against YouTube and its former chief executive, Justin Connolly, in an attempt to stop Connolly from taking on a prominent position within this tech company. Connolly was previously in charge of the distribution of Disney’s platforms and has been recently hired by YouTube to be its global director for sports and media.
Disney filed the suit in the California state court this week, claiming violation of contracts, unfair competition, and intentional interference with contractual obligations. The complaint states that Connolly has signed an employment contract with Disney in the month of November 2024, which binds him to the company until March 1st, 2027.
The entertainment conglomerate claims that Connolly’s actions would violate conditions of the contract and could expose sensitive company policies and negotiations, specifically concerning Disney’s vast sports broadcasting operation through ESPN.
Connolly has over 20 years of experience at Disney and ESPN. He played a key role in developing live sports streaming. YouTube is rapidly expanding in this field, especially through its NFL Sunday Ticket partnership. The platform is also pursuing other major media deals.
Disney is seeking a permanent and a temporary injunction to stop Connolly from adopting his YouTube position. At present, YouTube has not issued an open statement regarding the legal issue.
This legal dispute highlights the growing rivalry between traditional media companies and digital platforms as they compete for supremacy in the changing world of live entertainment and sports.
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