Disney Expands to Sports Betting Industry

By releasing a stand-alone ESPN app, Disney is extending its presence in sports streaming and breaking into the sports betting market.

Photo: The Walt Disney Company logo

The American global mass media and entertainment company The Walt Disney Company, also known as just Disney, has ventured into an uncharted area—sports betting—in collaboration with the nation’s well-known sports media company, ESPN, which it has owned since 1996.

With partnerships with Comcast and DirecTV, the app will combine betting features with sports programming in an effort to reach a wide audience. This is a calculated strategy to increase viewership.

Disney stressed that ESPN’s availability might be expanded through the app. The software, which is intended for cable cutters, will include sophisticated capabilities that go beyond conventional linear models. By stating that the app would have “some form of betting and fantasy, and a high degree of customization and personalization,” the business also alluded to its integration with sports betting.

What Will ESPN’s Standalone App Provide?

With a customisable SportsCenter, improved betting choices, and statistical analysis, the stand-alone ESPN app will offer a comprehensive platform for sports programming. All seven domestic ESPN networks, ESPN on ABC, and other streaming services will be available to users. This covers more than 47,000 live events a year in addition to on-demand replays, studio analysis, and original material.

Users have the option of buying the app separately or purchasing a Disney+ and Hulu bundle, which is available for a discounted price for the first year. There is also an ESPN Select plan that focuses on ESPN+ programming.

In addition to demonstrating ESPN’s dedication to adjusting to shifting consumer tastes, this new app puts Disney in a competitive position to take on well-known sports betting sites like DraftKings and FanDuel, the best dollar sites in the industry.