Comcast CEO Brian Roberts thinks, “It’s more likely than not,” that Disney buys the entirety of Hulu in the near future. Variety reports that the telecom executive said that today at MoffettNathanson’s Technology, Media and Telecom Conference in New York. For those unaware, Comcast holds a 33% stake in Hulu. But, next year, Disney or the competitor can force a sale of that portion of the streamer to Disney. All estimated indicate that Comcast’s share of Hulu would be valued around $9.2 billion. That’s no small amount of money. But, would having all those shows and movies under one roof be enticing enough to get that deal done?
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“I think we have a very valuable position,” Roberts said during the conference. “What would a willing buyer in a robust auction [for Hulu] pay?… you get all the content from Disney and Fox forever, so in theory what’s that worth?” In regards to the cash influx from making the deal, the CEO added, “I think ultimately that will be valuable for our shareholders.”
In a recent call, Disney CEO Bob Iger mused on a possible negotiation. But, the head of the company refused to commit to anything at this moment. He told analysts, “How that ultimately unfolds is, to some extent, in the hands of Comcast and in the hands of… a conversation or a negotiation that we have with them.”
What Will The Future of Hulu Look Like?
During last week’s earnings call, CEO Bob Iger actually announced that customers that already purchased both Disney+ and Hulu would be able to access the content from both services in one place. Now, that doesn’t mean there’s a Max-style consolidation like the one going on over at Warner Bros. Discovery. (However, no one would be surprised if that’t the way this thing goes.) For now, it just gives subscribers to both services the opportunity to flip between something like Bob’s Burgers and The Mandalorian more easily.
“While we continue to offer Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ as standalone options, this is a logical progression of our DTC offerings that will provide greater opportunities for advertisers, while giving bundle subscribers access to more robust and streamlined content, resulting in greater audience engagement and ultimately leading to a more unified streaming experience,” Iger explained.
Do you think Disney buys Hulu outright before the year is up? Let us know in the comments down below!
