Latest news with #JustinConnolly
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
YouTube Disputes Disney Lawsuit's Claims Over Justin Connolly Hiring, Alleges Disney Is Using Exec as ‘Pawn' in License Talks
YouTube has fired back at Disney, opposing Disney's lawsuit attempting to block the video giant's hiring of Justin Connolly, a former high-level media distribution exec for the Mouse House. Last month, Connolly — after more than two decades at Disney and ESPN — quit to join YouTube as global VP of media and sports partnerships. Disney responded with a lawsuit against YouTube and Connolly, filed May 21 in California state court, alleging breach of contract, tortious interference in a contractual relationship and unfair competition. More from Variety Disney Layoffs Cut Across TV, Film, Corporate Finance Affecting Hundreds of Employees 'Doctor Odyssey' Crewmembers Sue Disney for Alleged Sexual Harassment on Set, 'Blacklisting' Them After Filing Complaint With Disney's New 'Lilo & Stitch' in Theaters, Here's How to Get the Original Animated Film on DVD/4K Ultra HD YouTube now has filed its opposition to Disney's lawsuit. 'Disney asks this Court to specifically enforce defendant Justin Connolly's purported 'fixed term' employment agreement, to issue a restraining order that would place Mr. Connolly out of work, and to preclude Mr. Connolly from working for the employer of his choice for years,' YouTube said in its reply, filed June 2 with the Superior Court of the State of California in the County of Los Angeles. In its filing, YouTube took issue with several of Disney's allegations. According to the Disney lawsuit, Connolly had signed a three-year contract in November 2024, which his move to YouTube allegedly violates (as Connolly had a one-time right to terminate it for any reason effective March 1, 2027). However, according to YouTube, Disney employed Connolly on an at-will basis. 'Disney kept for itself (unilaterally) the absolute and unfettered right to fire Mr. Connolly at any time and for any reason without any obligation to Mr. Connolly,' YouTube said. An order requiring Connolly to either 'return to Disney to work against his will and/or to quit his new position at YouTube' is 'expressly prohibited by statute and other controlling California law,' according to YouTube's filing. YouTube also said Disney's request for 'emergency relief' is bogus because 'Disney has known for over six weeks that Mr. Connolly intended to leave Disney and join YouTube.' Connolly, who most recently was president of Disney Platform Distribution, oversaw all third-party media sales efforts for distribution, affiliate marketing and affiliate-related business operations — including with YouTube. In a declaration filed with the court, Connolly said that in April 2025 — after disclosing to Disney his intent to accept YouTube's offer — he stopped 'leading or participating materially' in any of the current negotiations on the license renewal between Disney and YouTube. At the time, another Disney executive replaced him as the lead negotiator for the YouTube license (and other Disney executives have already taken over other ongoing negotiations for the company), per court filings. In early April 2025, Google and Disney exchanged communications regarding Google's desire to hire Connolly for the YouTube role, according to the YouTube filing. Disney asked for its renewal negotiations with YouTube — which would normally not begin until around August 2025 — to be 'prioritized' by YouTube, according to the internet company. Rather than invoking Connolly's contract that purportedly prevented him from exiting Disney to join YouTube, according to YouTube, 'Disney made clear that it intends to use Mr. Connolly as a pawn to advance the renegotiation of its license renewal with YouTube.' Google told Disney that it would be willing to move up the YouTube license renewal negotiations with Disney, but 'could only do so if Mr. Connolly joined YouTube sooner rather than later' (because, Google said, the earlier Connolly joined YouTube and took over negotiations on contract agreements with other companies, the sooner YouTube would be able to free up its other employees to focus on Disney's license renewal). According to YouTube, Disney did not respond to Google's last communication and 'did not offer Mr. Connolly any meaningful path to exit with Disney's support.' YouTube, in its reply to Disney's lawsuit, essentially said Connolly is not the equivalent of a rock star or pro athlete. YouTube argued that Connolly's 'work for Disney did not involve services that are special, unique or extraordinary,' the one area where a court may be permitted to enforce personal service contracts. Per the YouTube filing, the narrow exception for services of 'special, unique, unusual, extraordinary or intellectual character' has been applied only to 'contracts for the services of notable artists, performers and professional athletes.' Regarding Connolly's knowledge of Disney information, YouTube said that is 'irrelevant.' 'Google/YouTube has made it clear to Disney that Mr. Connolly will not be involved in any capacity with YouTube's license agreement negotiations with Disney,' YouTube said. In addition, YouTube's offer letter to Connolly 'demands that he continue to adhere to his confidentiality obligations to Disney, and confirms he cannot bring, use or disclose any of Disney's confidential or proprietary information during his work at YouTube,' the YouTube filing said. YouTube called the provision of Connolly's employment agreement that purports to prohibit him from leaving Disney 'unconscionable.' Per YouTube, that's because 'Disney demanded that Mr. Connolly sign it, Mr. Connolly was not represented by counsel, and Disney had overwhelming bargaining power as compared to Mr. Connolly.' In addition, Connolly's employment agreement is 'unconscionable' because 'it purports to bind only Mr. Connolly to work for a period of time, while allowing Disney unfettered discretion to terminate Mr. Connolly's employment for any reason at any time. Furthermore, there is no justification for the one-sided nature of the termination right in the Employment Agreement.' The California state court hearing the case, which is captioned Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution LLC vs. YouTube LLC et al., has scheduled a June 4 hearing on Disney's application for a temporary restraining order to block Connolly's hiring by YouTube. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in June 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
Express Tribune
25-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Disney sues YouTube over executive defection amid fears of confidential info leak
Disney has filed a lawsuit against YouTube in a Los Angeles state court, aiming to stop former executive Justin Connolly from joining the Google-owned platform. The media giant claims Connolly's move would breach his contract and risk exposing confidential business information. Connolly, who resigned in May from his role as Disney Entertainment's President of Platform Distribution, was instrumental in overseeing the company's TV and streaming content deals. According to the complaint, Connolly had signed a contract to remain with Disney until 2027 and was prohibited from engaging with direct competitors — a clause Disney argues YouTube now violates. As first reported by C21 and Bloomberg, Connolly is poised to take on a senior role at YouTube, managing the platform's media partnerships and live sports expansion. Disney contends that his insider knowledge, especially regarding distribution strategies and financial terms of licensing deals, could give YouTube an unfair advantage. 'Connolly has intimate knowledge of Disney's other distribution deals, the financial details concerning Disney's content being licensed to YouTube, and Disney's negotiation strategies,' said Disney lawyer Kavin Gaut in the complaint. 'It would be extremely prejudicial to Disney for Connolly to breach the contract which he negotiated just a few months ago and switch teams when Disney is working on a new licensing deal with the company that is trying to poach him.' This lawsuit comes at a time when YouTube is dominating digital viewership. In March 2025, the platform accounted for nearly 12% of all TV viewing, surpassing competitors like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+. As of now, YouTube has not issued a public response to the legal filing.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Disney files suit against YouTube for poaching executive, Bloomberg reports
Disney (DIS) has filed a lawsuit against Alphabet's (GOOG) (GOOGL) YouTube, claiming breach of contract after YouTube hired longtime Disney executive Justin Connolly as its global head of media and sports, Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw reports. Disney claims Connolly's departure breaches his three-year contract and is seeking injunctions to stop his appointment, which will oversee YouTube's relationships with major media companies and its live-sports portfolio. Connolly spent over 20 years at Disney and ESPN, licensing Disney's TV networks and content to providers like YouTube TV, and is leaving ahead of Disney's new ESPN streaming service launch and negotiations with YouTube TV. Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter Published first on TheFly – the ultimate source for real-time, market-moving breaking financial news. Try Now>> See the top stocks recommended by analysts >> Read More on DIS: Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Sunday Night Baseball on NBC? Comcast Stock (NASDAQ:CMCSA) Slips as it Chases ESPN's Leftovers Morning News Wrap-Up: Thursday's Biggest Stock Market Stories Will Epic Universe Allow Comcast (CMCSA) to Compete With Disney (DIS)? Universal's new park sparks arms race with Disney, WSJ reports Microsoft files brief supporting Epic Games, The Verge reports
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
ESPN ‘Around The Horn' Finale: Host Tony Reali Riffs On ‘GoodFellas', Invites Viewers To Meet Him On YouTube As Show Signs Off After 23 Years
Around the Horn host Tony Reali opened the show's 4,953rd and final episode Friday with a nod to GoodFellas and closed it with an invitation to viewers to find him on his new YouTube channel. 'As far back as I can remember, I wanted to be a sportscaster,' he began, tweaking the immortal Henry Hill kickoff to Martin Scorsese's gangster classic. A handheld camera then followed him around the control room and backstage area of the show's set at ESPN's studios at New York City's South Street Seaport. To the sounds of The Crystals' 'Then He Kissed Me' (best known from Scorsese's single-take Copacobana sequence), family and crew members got a chance to wave goodbye. More from Deadline The Mouse Roars: Disney Tries To Derail Justin Connolly's New YouTube Gig With Breach Of Contract Suit Justin Connolly Takes Senior YouTube Post After Exiting As President Of Disney Platform Distribution - Update Sports Calendar With NBA Key For Peacock, Says Comcast CFO Amid Playoff Fever; Calls ESPN App $30 Price Tag "Helpful" 'I grew up on this show,' Reali mused in the final segment (watch it above), noting he came aboard at age 24 following a run as 'Stat Boy' on older-sibling ESPN talker Pardon the Interruption. 'This show helped me grow up. Maybe some of you feel the same way too.' The series, which has been a forum for 61 sports journalists over the years, went out with eight highly accomplished voices who made their reputations as newspaper columnists. Guests on the finale included Bill Plaschke, Woody Paige, J.A. Adande, Bob Ryan, Tim Cowlishaw, Kevin Blackistone, Frank Isola and Jackie MacMullan, current and former writers for the L.A. Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post and New York Daily News. Apart from a brief 'GOAT debate' about which athlete was the greatest during the show's 23-year run (LeBron James was the consensus pick), sports took a backseat to sentimental wishes from panelists to Reali and then from Reali to viewers. 'That's what made this show go: It's the connection,' he said. 'Sports is a connection. We watch it from our youngest days. We laugh and we cry.' Conceding that many viewers might deem the gesture 'corny,' the host extended a hand toward the camera and urged them to take it. 'Come with me where it's real,' he said. 'More smiles to come.' He then plugged his website, and his new YouTube page, Team Reali. 'The debate goes on now without us,' he said. 'But you pick up where we left off.' ESPN announced in March that the show would be ending, but has never provided a reason for the cancellation either publicly or behind-the-scenes to Reali or his staff, the host has said. Its ratings have remained steady, though economic pressures continue to assert themselves across the Disney sports division. ESPN recently did away with L.A.-based SportsCenter production in a cost-saving move revealed this week. The company also this year exercised an option to exit its multi-year rights deal with Major League Baseball, citing diminishing returns on its $550 million annual investment. As far as Reali's next move, he is under contract with ESPN through August. Beyond that, his YouTube channel will likely be a focus, though Reali has said in recent interview that he has been taking meetings and considering a range of options. On ESPN, the 5 p.m. hour will still feature PTI, hosted by Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, preceded (at least on an interim basis) by a 30-minute edition of SportsCenter. [youtube Best of Deadline Everything We Know About 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' 'The Last of Us' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out? 'The Last Of Us': Differences Between HBO Series & Video Game Across Seasons 1 And 2
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Disney vs. YouTube. The fight for talent heads back to court
In the last several years, YouTube has become an increasingly formidable competitor to streaming services and entertainment studios, providing videos from amateur and professional creators, as well as livestreaming major events and NFL games. Now its growing threat to studios is headed to the courts. The Google-owned platform recently poached Justin Connolly, president of platform distribution from Walt Disney Co. On Wednesday, Disney sued YouTube and Connolly for breach of contract, alleging that Connolly violated an employment agreement that did not expire until March 2027 at the earliest. Connolly oversaw Disney's distribution strategy and third-party media sales for its streaming services like Disney+ and its television networks. He also was responsible for film and TV programming distribution through broadcasting and digital platforms, subscription video services and pay networks. Read more: YouTube turns 20 years old. How it changed TV as we know it As part of his role, Connolly led Disney's negotiations for a licensing deal renewal with YouTube, Disney said in its lawsuit. 'It would be extremely prejudicial to Disney for Connolly to breach the contract which he negotiated just a few months ago and switch teams when Disney is working on a new licensing deal with the company that is trying to poach him," Disney said in its lawsuit. Disney is seeking a preliminary injunction against Connolly and YouTube to enforce its employment contract. YouTube did not immediately respond to a request for comment. At YouTube, Connolly will be become the company's head of media and sports, where he will be in charge of YouTube's relationships with media companies and its live sports portfolio, according to Bloomberg. Read more: YouTube will air its first exclusive NFL game from Brazil YouTube accounted for 12% of U.S. TV viewing in in March, more than other streaming services like Netflix, according to Nielsen. YouTube's revenue last year was estimated to be $54.2 billion, making it the second-largest media company behind Walt Disney Co., according to research firm MoffettNathanson. Unlike many other major streaming platforms, YouTube has a mix of content made by users as well as professional studios, giving it a diverse and large video library. More than 20 billion videos have been uploaded to its platform, the company recently said. There are over 20 million videos uploaded daily on average. Streaming services such as Netflix have brought some YouTube content to their platforms, including episodes of preschool program "Ms. Rachel."On a recent earnings call, Netflix co-Chief Executive Greg Peters named YouTube as one of its "strong competitors." Connolly entered into an employment agreement with Disney on Nov. 6, Disney said in its lawsuit. That contract ran from Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2027, with Connolly having the option of terminating the agreement earlier on March 1, 2027, the lawsuit said. As part of the agreement, Connolly agreed not to engage in business or become associated with any entity that is in business with Disney or its affiliates, the lawsuit said. Disney said YouTube was aware of Connolly's employment deal with Disney but still made an offer to him. Read more: Netflix's Hollywood raids face new obstacles after court ruling Entertainment companies have brought lawsuits in the past to stop executive talent poaching by rivals. In 2020, Activision Blizzard sued Netflix for poaching its chief financial officer, Spencer Neumann. That case was later closed, after Activision asked to dismiss the lawsuit in 2022. Netflix years ago also faced litigation from Fox and Viacom alleging executives broke their contract agreements to work for the Los Gatos-based streaming service. In 2019, a judge issued an injunction barring Netflix from poaching rival Fox executives under contract or inducing them to breach their fixed-term agreements. Editorial library director Cary Schneider contributed to this report. Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
