FuboTV replaces co-founder David Gandler with Disney executive Alisa Bowen as CEO, deepening Disney's control
Streaming pay-TV provider FuboTV has appointed Disney+ president Alisa Bowen as its new chief executive, effective today, replacing co-founder David Gandler after a decade at the helm. The move comes nine months after Disney took a 70% stake in the company.
Leadership shake-up
FuboTV named Alisa Bowen as its new chief executive officer, effective July 10, replacing co-founder David Gandler. Bowen, 53, joins from Walt Disney, where she served as president of the Disney+ streaming platform since September 2022 and was a founding member of Disney's streaming leadership team. Her earlier career included leadership roles at News Corp Australia, Dow Jones and Thomson Reuters. Gandler co-founded FuboTV in 2015 with Alberto Horihuela and Sung Ho Choi and had led the company since its inception. He also resigned from the board, and his nomination for re-election was withdrawn.
Disney's deepening grip
The appointment comes nine months after Disney acquired a 70% controlling stake in Fubo. That deal was part of a settlement of an antitrust lawsuit Fubo filed in 2025, when Disney attempted to launch the sports streaming venture Venu with Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery. Under the settlement, Fubo continues to operate as a separate, stand-alone company, but the CEO change signals closer integration with its majority owner.
- David Gandler co-founds FuboTV with Alberto Horihuela and Sung Ho Choi.
- Disney acquires 70% controlling stake in Fubo as part of antitrust settlement.
- FuboTV announces Alisa Bowen as CEO; Gandler's employment ends.
- Alisa Bowen officially starts as CEO.
A culture clash
Gandler's departure was abrupt, with his employment ending on July 9 and Bowen starting the next day. One industry source told Deadline that "the Disney culture didn't match" and that Gandler was frustrated with what he saw as Disney's reluctance to grow the virtual pay-TV business. Gandler had built a reputation for a pugnacious style, often publicly criticizing larger rivals like YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV.
David was frustrated with what seemed to be Disney's almost intention to not grow the vMVPD business.
The numbers
Under her employment agreement, Bowen will receive an annual base salary of $1.58 million and be eligible for a performance bonus targeted at 120% of that amount. Fubo and Hulu + Live TV together entered 2026 with 6.2 million subscribers, trailing YouTube TV's more than 10 million. With cable rivals Comcast and Charter fading, YouTube TV is poised to become the largest pay-TV operator in the coming quarters. Fubo recently completed a reverse stock split, a maneuver often used to lift ailing share prices amid delisting risk. The stock closed at $9.56 on July 9 and showed little reaction in after-hours trading to the CEO news.
A pivotal moment
Fubo chairman Andy Bird described Bowen as "a proven operator" with nearly 30 years of experience across Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+. He said the company had reached "a pivotal moment in its strategic evolution" following the combination with Hulu + Live TV.
Alisa is a proven operator who brings nearly 30 years of product, digital and operational experience, including leadership across Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+.
