Tag: ESPN
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Pete Distad Named CEO of ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery Joint Sports Streaming Service
Former Apple TV+ executive Pete Distad has been named the CEO of the new joint sports streaming service that is being created by ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery. Distad is a leader an experienced leader in media, sports and technology. He was previously at Apple for a decade and before that, he was at…
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ESPN’s Women-Led NBA Broadcast Is ‘Business as Usual’
This Friday, ESPN will have an all-women led NBA broadcast to celebrate International Women’s Day. Beth Mowins, Monica McNutt, and Katie George will call the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers. They’ll be supported by an entirely female production staff, led by ESPN producer Laurie Privitera. This is the third year in a row that…
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FuboTV Sues Disney, Fox Corp., and Warner Bros. Discovery Over Sports Streaming Platform
FuboTV has sued The Walt Disney Company, Fox Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery seeking to block a joint venture between the three companies for a sports platform. It alleges that there are antitrust issues with the three media companies coming together for the joint streaming platform. FuboTV says that it is being forced to carry…
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Justice Department Scrutinizing Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Joint Sports Streaming Service
The Justice Department is scrutinizing the joint sports streaming service that was announced by Disney, Fox Corp, and Warner Bros. Discovery over concerns about potential harm to consumers, media competitors, and sports leagues. There will be a regulatory review that will happen once the joint venture venture agreement is completed. At this point, the companies…
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JJ Redick Joins Mike Breen, Doris Burke and Lisa Salters on ESPN’s Lead NBA Broadcast Team
ESPN on Thursday announced that analyst JJ Redick will join Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame broadcasters Mike Breen and Doris Burke to form ESPN and ABC’s new, lead NBA broadcast team. The trio will be joined by veteran reporter Lisa Salters. The team will call the NBA Finals on ABC, the Eastern Conference Finals, and marquee NBA…
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ESPN to Launch Stand Alone Streaming Service by Fall 2025
On an earnings call this week, Disney CEO Bob Iger shared that Disney is planning on having its stand alone streaming service for ESPN in place by the fall of 2025. Disney promised that this new streaming service would provide innovative digital features and create a one-stop sports destination that is unlike anything else available…
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Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Team Up for Sports Streaming Service
Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. are coming together to create a sports streaming service. This comes as sports rights are more expensive than ever and viewers are abandoning traditional television for streaming services. This new streaming service was announced as a proposal on Tuesday with the three companies coming together to attract sports fans who…
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NFL Reportedly in Advanced Talks With Disney For Stake in ESPN
Disney may have found a partner for ESPN. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the NFL and Disney are in advanced talks for the National Football League to take a stake in ESPN. If the deal were to go through, it would give Disney control over the NFL Network and other NFL media properties.…
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ESPN and NCAA Reach New, Eight-Year Media Rights Agreement
ESPN and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) have reached a new, eight-year agreement beginning Sept. 1, 2024, for NCAA championships media rights. The deal includes domestic rights to a record 40 NCAA championships – 21 women’s and 19 men’s events – and international rights to those same NCAA championships plus the Division I men’s…
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Disney Earnings Q4 2023: CEO Bob Iger Reveals Four Building Opportunities
“Our progress has allowed us to move beyond this period of fixing and begin building our businesses again.” That was the message that Disney’s Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger had for investors and consumers after The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) reported its fiscal full year and fourth quarter earnings on Wednesday. Iger—who returned to the position…
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Doris Burke on Calling the NBA’s Inaugural In-Season Tournament for ESPN
Doris Burke has covered nearly everything in her more than 30 years at ESPN. However, this Friday she will take on something new: the NBA’s first ever in-season tournament. Burke alongside Mike Breen and Doc Rivers will be a part of the announcing team for the in-season tournament, which has NBA squads facing off for the NBA Cup and…
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ESPN BET to Debut with a Planned Launch on Nov. 14
ESPN BET, a newly-branded online sportsbook for fans in the United States, is set to debut with a planned launch on Nov. 14. Subject to final approvals, ESPN BET will go live in 17 states, which include: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and…
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Disney Reveals Just How Profitable ESPN Is
The Walt Disney Company has revealed new numbers under it’s restructured business plan that shows just how much ESPN is worth to the company. After the return of Disney CEO Bob Iger to the head of the company, it was restructured into three main segments. Disney’s three main segments are now: New SEC filings show…
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An Animated Behind-the-Scenes Look at ESPN’s ‘Toy Story Funday Football’
ESPN, The Walt Disney Company, and the National Football League are teaming up for Toy Story Funday Football, a first-of-its-kind presentation featuring beloved characters from Pixar Animation Studios. This Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET, fans can immerse themselves in a fully-animated offering on Disney+, ESPN+, and on mobile with the NFL+ app when the Atlanta Falcons…
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ESPN Delivers Its Most-Watched ‘Monday Night Football’ Game Ever with More Than 22.6 Million Viewers
ESPN’s 2023 Monday Night Football season debut was a record breaker, as more than 22.6 million viewers watched the Buffalo Bills at the New York Jets across ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN+, NFL+, and ESPN Deportes. The viewership surpasses the 2009 Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings game, which featured Hall of Famer Brett Favre vs. his former…
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Hulu + Live TV: How To Watch Disney Entertainment Networks and Stations Including ESPN Without a Cable Subscription
This Labor Day weekend has been a frustrating one for millions of Spectrum cable subscribers. Instead of enjoying major sporting events such as the return of college football and the US Open, ESPN and other Disney-owned channels like ABC were blacked out due to a dispute between Spectrum’s parent company—Charter Communications—and Disney Entertainment. Unfortunately, the dispute…
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Disney and Amazon Reportedly in Talks About ESPN Partnership
Amazon and Disney are reportedly in early talks to work on the streaming version of ESPN that is in development. This could also involve Amazon taking a minority stake in the streaming service. The news is being reported by The Information, citing sources that are close the matter. Currently Disney and ESPN are working on…
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ESPN to Launch ESPN BET in a New Agreement with PENN Entertainment
ESPN today announced an agreement with PENN Entertainment to launch ESPN BET, a branded sportsbook for fans in the United States. PENN Entertainment will rebrand its current sportsbook and relaunch as ESPN BET, effective this Fall in the 16 legalized betting states where PENN Entertainment is licensed. The rebrand includes the mobile app, website, and…
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Disney CEO Bob Iger Brings Back Former Disney Execs Kevin Mayer, Tom Staggs to Strategize Future of Legacy TV
Bob Iger is looking to the future by going to the past. Iger has brought in former Disney Execs Kevin Mayer, Tom Staggs, to help advise on the future of Disney’s legacy TV assets. The duo have been brought in to discuss paths forward for the legacy TV assets, including the possible sales of these…
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ESPN Held Talks With The NBA, NFL, and MLB About Potential Strategic Partnership
A week after Disney CEO Bob Iger talked about the possibility of bringing a strategic partnership to ESPN, it now appears that early discussions have been had to do just that. CNBC is reporting that ESPN has held early discussions with the NBA, NFL, and MLB about a potential strategic partnership. Disney CEO Bob Iger…
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ESPN Wins a Company-Record 13 Sports Emmy® Awards
At the 44th Annual Sports Emmy® Awards ceremony Monday night, ESPN won in 13 categories—setting a company record as the National Academy of Television and Sciences honored the best in sports media. ESPN has now won 246 Sports Emmy Awards in 36 years of eligibility, surpassing its own record this year for most wins; ESPN’s previous…
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ESPN Earns Industry-Leading 59 Sports Emmy Nominations
ESPN earned an industry-leading 59 nominations for the 44th Annual Sports Emmy Awards, as announced Tuesday by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). This is the 10th straight year that ESPN has led the industry. ESPN’s 59 nominations include work presented on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, ABC, ESPN Deportes, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, SEC Network…
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ESPN Coverage To Be Animated for Disney Channel to Encourage Young Hockey Fans
Disney is doing something new with ESPN to try and attract more young hockey fans. Variety is reporting that on March 14, 2023 at 7:00 PM ET, ESPN will be animating the match between the Washington Capitals and then New York Rangers and broadcast it on the Disney Channel and Disney XD. The game, known…
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Disney Releases More Details on Restructuring Including Creative Control and Accountability
One day after announcing its restructuring, The Walt Disney Company is sharing more information about how that will exactly be implemented. In a lengthy release, Disney shared what the individual segments will be and who will be leading them. There are also biographies about the new heads of the segments. Along with restructuring the company,…