Disney+ has officially added ESPN to its Australian streaming lineup, unlocking live access to premium US sports, Fight Nights, and every single NHL game for the first time on the platform.
From today, subscribers will be able to stream a lineup of sporting content from ESPN and ESPN2, marking the first time Disney has integrated live sports into its flagship streaming service in Australia.
During a press briefing this week, Disney+ executives outlined the depth of content now available to subscribers and its significance in Disney’s broader streaming strategy.
“We’re already the most widely distributed sports network in Australia,” said Patrick Bour, director of television and marketing, Australia and New Zealand, ESPN. “But this adds a really significant new audience who will have access to ESPN for the first time… it means we’re in more Australian households than ever before.”
What sports are included?
Sports fans can expect:
• NBA: 236 regular season games per year (around 7–9 per week), plus every game of the Playoffs, Conference Finals, and NBA Finals.
• MLB: Roughly seven games per week.
• UFC: Every Fight Night (both prelims and main card), as well as pay-per-view prelim events.
• NHL: Every single NHL game of the season, a major win for Australian fans, with all games now accessible via Disney+.
Bour confirmed that while UFC pay-per-view main cards will not be available due to exclusive rights held by Foxtel, fans will still have access to all other UFC content through the platform.
In a major content coup, almost the entire 30 for 30 documentary catalogue will also be available at launch, with 120 titles currently cleared and more to come.
No ad-supported tier..yet
Disney+ in Australia will not have a dedicated sports tier or standalone pricing. ESPN content will be integrated into existing profiles and accessible to all subscribers, with no additional costs for live sports content. While some ESPN content includes advertising, such as betting ads during live broadcasts, Disney+ confirmed there are no plans to introduce a wider ad-supported tier in the Australian market at this stage.
“There’s certainly some betting advertising in our ESPN feeds, so as a result it will appear,” said Kylie Watson-Wheeler, senior vice president and managing director of The Walt Disney Company Australia and New Zealand, and head of Asia Pacific. “But we’re not proactively seeking advertising across the broader Disney+ platform.”
The new ESPN hub on Disney+ includes live ESPN and ESPN2 channels.
A complementary approach, not a replacement for Foxtel
The Disney+ team was also clear that ESPN’s launch on the platform doesn’t mean an end to its longstanding distribution deals with Foxtel, Kayo or Fetch.
“We’re in negotiation with Foxtel right now,” said Watson-Wheeler. “This is an additive strategy, not a replacement. It’s about expanding our reach to new fans and a broader audience.”
Asked whether ESPN would look to secure Tier 1 Australian sports like NRL or AFL, Bour added that they would be open to it “if the circumstances and value are right.”
“We’ve been very targeted in the sports we’ve added. We know our audience and we’re focused on US sports where we’re already strong. That said, would we love to have a Tier 1 Australian sport? Absolutely. But the right opportunity hasn’t presented itself yet.”
Currently, ESPN’s focus remains on being “the home of US sports and the home of hoops,” Watson-Wheeler said.
A strategic play for engagement
Kurt Brockett, vice president, product management for Disney+, called the launch a “game changer,” highlighting the role of live sport in driving daily engagement.
“When someone sits down and wants to watch something, a lot of the time it’s a live sporting event, it’s appointment viewing,” he said. “We’ve seen that be increasingly important for engagement and frequency.”
With live sport now sitting alongside blockbuster titles from Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, National Geographic and Disney, the launch could redefine how Australians interact with streaming.
As Watson-Wheeler put it: “The opportunity for our audiences to watch a big movie, then tune into an NBA game, that’s pretty special.”