With ESPN‘s long-anticipated streaming launch now just days away, Disney CEO Bob Iger says the company is exploring potential bundles with other sports programmers.
“We believe there may be opportunities for us to bundle other companies’ sports offerings,” Iger said during Disney’s fiscal third quarter earnings call. “We’ve actually had some discussions with some other companies on doing just that. Nothing to report on that. Obviously, we’re not only interested in growing engagement and growing our own subs, but we’re interested in serving consumers better as well.”
ESPN revealed Wednesday that it will launch its new streaming app on August 21. At $30 a month, the full-function service includes all of ESPN’s linear networks as well as a range of digital and streaming exclusives, including betting and fantasy offerings.
Fox Corp. is also targeting August 21 for the launch of its new streaming service, Fox One, which will deliver a range of sports, news and entertainment fare for $20 a month. Fox execs have also talked about their service potentially serving as a platform for third-party streaming outlets.
Bundling has been a successful strategy for many streaming providers, including Disney. The company has prospered since 2020 with its vertical Hulu-Disney+-ESPN+ package and has also gained traction with a partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO Max.
Sports in particular is ripe for bundling, given the unraveling of traditional pay-TV and the preponderance of niche services left in limbo by the transition to digital. Regional sports networks, once a gusher for programmers and operators, have been in a tattered financial state due to cord-cutting. The upheaval of linear TV and the influx of investment in streaming has brought live sports to an array of services, adding Apple TV+, Roku, Netflix and YouTube to the array of other linear and streaming outlets confronting sports viewers.
“The more sports can be offered in one destination for the consumer, or if we can improve the ease of use for consumers, ease of finding things,” the better, Iger continued. “As a devoted sports fan, I often have to work to try to find what platform sports are on. If we can help consumers in that regard, we’re certainly going to try.”
The exec’s comments came after the company made a flurry of ESPN announcements, including a landmark deal with the NFL to swap equity for control of NFL Media assets. Disney also reported a mostly solid set of quarterly financial results.
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