Disney+ Scores UEFA Women’s Champions League Rights
Bucharest – February 29, 2024 – disney+ has made a important move by securing the streaming rights for the UEFA Women’s Champions League. The deal, starting with the 2025/26 season, will provide live streaming of all 75 matches across Europe. This strategic acquisition positions Disney+ in the competitive streaming landscape of live sports, highlighting its commitment to women’s football. For more on the evolving streaming battleground, read on.
Disney+ Scores UEFA Women’s Champions League Streaming Rights
The streaming landscape is rapidly evolving, extending far beyond traditional television series and films. Live sports are now a key battleground for streaming services, with major players vying for exclusive rights. Amazon Prime Video has been a long-time contender, showcasing live tennis, Premier League and Champions league football, and NFL’s Thursday Night Football. Apple TV+ has secured rights to ML; Netflix briefly entered the arena with American Football during the Christmas holidays. Now, Disney+ is making a significant move into live football rights.
A Strategic Play for Women’s Football
While Disney+ is not poised to challenge Sky’s dominance in Premier League football in the U.K. just yet, its recent acquisition signals a strategic shift. The Walt Disney Company has secured the rights for the UEFA women’s Champions League across Europe, commencing with the 2025/26 season and extending through the 2029/30 season.
this five-year deal guarantees that Disney+ will stream all 75 matches from the tournament live, at no extra cost to subscribers. Though, it is indeed critically important to note that general price increases across streaming services may still occur in the future.
Why Women’s Football?
Disney’s move into women’s football is a sensible one, tapping into a growing market with increasing recognition and audience engagement. This rights deal allows Disney to capitalize on what they consider an “emerging” market.
Furthermore, Disney’s established presence in children’s content, especially for young girls, positions them to introduce more girls to women’s football, perhaps fostering further growth of the sport.
The shift away from traditional broadcast methods continues,with companies like Sky transitioning to internet-based platforms with Sky Glass TV and Sky Stream. New platforms such as Freely, Samsung TV Plus, and LG Channels are also emerging.
The future is Streaming
The increasing dominance of streaming services is undeniable. As the landscape evolves, consumers must adapt to this new era of content delivery.
We all better get use to our streaming overlords, the takeover has only just begun.
