Disney has been focusing a lot of its efforts recently on expanding ESPN.

©ESPN

During Disney’s Q3 2023 financial earnings call, one of the company’s key points was “building ESPN into the preeminent digital sports platform.” The company has already moved forward with ESPN Bet, a new sportsbook betting service. The company is also working on CEO Bob Iger’s #1 priority, streaming, which includes ESPN+. A new deal with the NCAA will help Iger in achieving that goal.

ESPN and the National Collegiate Association (NCAA) recently reached a new eight-year deal that will begin on September 1st, 2024 for NCAA championship media rights. This includes rights to 40 NCAA championships, including 21 women’s events, as well as 19 men’s events. ESPN will also have international media rights for those championships, in addition to the Division I men’s basketball tournament.

©Disney

“ESPN and the NCAA have enjoyed a strong and collaborative relationship for more than four decades, and we are thrilled that it will continue as part of this new, long-term agreement,” said ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro. “The ESPN networks and platforms will exclusively present a record number of championships, including all rounds of several marquee events that, together with the NCAA, we have grown over time. This unprecedented deal also further strengthens The Walt Disney Company’s industry-leading commitment to women’s sports and will help fuel our continued growth, including in the critical streaming space.”

Yes, this deal also includes streaming, which will help grow the ESPN+ streaming service and is part of Iger’s #1 priority.

©NCAA

The agreement continues exclusive coverage — including streaming — from the previous deal but has also now added the Division I men’s and women’s tennis team championships, the national collegiate men’s gymnastics championships, as well as full rights for the men’s National Invitation Tournament and Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament. In addition, ESPN also has international rights for the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.

Here’s everything the new deal covers:

• Men’s Championships – soccer, football (FCS, DII & DIII), cross country, water polo, indoor track & field, swimming & diving, wrestling, ice hockey, gymnastics, fencing, volleyball, lacrosse, outdoor track & field, tennis, baseball and basketball (including DII semifinals & DIII semifinals and championship).
• Women’s Championships – soccer, field hockey, volleyball (including DII & DIII), cross country, indoor track & field, swimming & diving, basketball (including DII & DIII), ice hockey, bowling, gymnastics, fencing, beach volleyball, lacrosse, outdoor track & field, tennis, softball, and water polo.
• Other: men’s National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT); NCAA Div I Men’s Basketball Championship (international rights).

©Disney

ESPN+ could see an uptick in subscribers interested in collegiate sports after this landmark agreement, which should help Disney’s overall streaming numbers and get Iger to his #1 priority goal sooner than expected.

We’ll keep an eye out for more Disney news, so stay tuned to DFB for more.

Disney has HUGE Plans for ESPN

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