Yesterday, news of a joint venture broke with some of the most prominent media giants in the sports industry getting on board. Joining forces for a new streaming platform, it’s said that ESPN (a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company), Warner Bros. Discovery, and FOX are in talks to create a new sports streaming platform that will include “NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, College Sports, UFC, PGA TOUR Golf, Grand Slam Tennis, the FIFA World Cup, Cycling and Much More,” says ESPN Press Room
By subscribing to this focused, all-in-one premier sports service, fans would have access to the linear sports networks including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ABC, FOX, FS1, FS2, BTN, TNT, TBS, truTV, as well as ESPN+.
The Walt Disney Company
With the three companies already working on the new platform, the new service would give customers access to more sporting content in one new streamlined location that will have its own branding and independent management. The joint venture is expected to be an equal three-way split in both ownership and board representation. The move could create not only a lucrative investment for the parties but also a superior product beneficial to its accessible community, offering a new experience in sports content.
The launch of this new streaming sports service is a significant moment for Disney and ESPN, a major win for sports fans, and an important step forward for the media business. This means the full suite of ESPN channels will be available to consumers alongside the sports programming of other industry leaders as part of a differentiated sports-centric service. I’m grateful to Jimmy Pitaro and the team at ESPN, who are at the forefront of innovating on behalf of consumers to create new offerings with more choice and greater value.
Bob Iger, Walt Disney Company
We’re pumped to bring the FOX Sports portfolio to this new and exciting platform. We believe the service will provide passionate fans outside of the traditional bundle an array of amazing sports content all in one place.
Lachlan Murdoch, FOX
At WBD, our ambition is always to connect our leading content and brands with as many viewers as possible, and this exciting joint venture and the unparalleled combination of marquee sports rights and access to the greatest sporting events in the world allows us to do just that. This new sports service exemplifies our ability as an industry to drive innovation and provide consumers with more choice, enjoyment and value and we’re thrilled to deliver it to sports fans.
David Zaslav, Warner Bros. Discovery
The new sports offering is expected to launch in the fall of 2024 and will be made available directly to consumers via a new app. The Walt Disney Company has also stated that subscribers of the new service would also have the ability to bundle the product, including with Disney+, Hulu, and/or Max.
