Disney chief executive Bob Iger says it’s “not a matter of if but when” it takes the ESPN sports channels direct-to-consumer.In a conference call on its Q3 financials Iger said the team was looking at “all the components” of the decision, adding that ratings had continued to increase on ESPN’s main linear channel even as cord-cutting has accelerated.When Warner Bros. Discovery launched CNN Max as part of its Max streaming service there were concerns from some US cablenets that the new service would take away from the regular service.“While linear remains highly profitable for Disney today, the trends being fueled by cord-cutting are unmistakable,” said Iger. “As I’ve stated before, we are thinking expansively and considering a variety of strategic options. However, we’re fortunate to have an array of extremely productive television studios that we will rely on to continue providing exceptional content for audiences well into the future.”Following the acquisition of Hulu, content from the service is now being made available to bundle subscribers via Disney+, ahead of a unified app in the US market. Iger said this was a reflection of how entertainment service Star had been bundled for subscribers internationally.
Copyright © 2023 Broadband TV News.