Disney has confirmed that the next Super Bowl will be streamed on Disney+ as well as shown on ESPN and ABC. It will be the first Super Bowl produced by ESPN, and Disney says the advertising has already sold out, earlier than for any previous game.
Disney has announced that its streaming service Disney+ will carry the next Super Bowl in February, CNBC reported on October 7.
Where the Game Will Be Shown
- Disney+, the company’s streaming service
- ESPN, its sports network
- ABC, its broadcast network
Disney had already announced that ESPN would produce the Super Bowl in 2027, the first time it has done so.
Advertising Already Sold Out
Interest in the game is high. Disney said on its most recent earnings call that advertising slots are already sold out.
According to a company press release, it is the earliest sellout in Super Bowl history.
Why Disney Is Doing It
The move is part of Disney’s effort to build up live sports on its streaming platforms.
Last year the company launched a standalone ESPN streaming service, making the network’s programming available outside the traditional cable bundle.
Rivals Are Doing the Same
Other streaming companies are also using live sport to strengthen their offer.
- YouTube pays roughly $2 billion a year for the rights to “NFL Sunday Ticket”, in a deal that runs until the end of the 2029–30 season. CNBC reported that it is looking for more live sports rights.
- Netflix will show five NFL games during the 2026–27 season. Its chief content officer, Bela Bajaria, has said the company would be open to acquiring rights to international NFL games if they became available.
What It Means for Viewers
The Super Bowl is the most-watched television event of the year in the United States. Putting it on a general entertainment streaming service, rather than only on broadcast television and a sports channel, shows how far live sport has moved towards streaming.
Image: Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, February 2025 (file photo). Photo by elisfkc2 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
