Disney lands NHL broadcast deal with focus on streaming

Walt Disney announced a seven-year broadcast agreement with the National Hockey League that brings games to ABC and ESPN, as well as its streaming platforms ESPN+ and Hulu. Under the deal, which runs through the season ending in 2028, ABC will air the Stanley Cup finals four times. There also will be 100 exclusive regular-season games each season on ESPN and the company’s streaming platforms, according to a statement Wednesday. Disney is paying approximately $2 billion to $2.25 billion for the package, Sportico reported. The agreement reflects Disney’s aggressive shift into streaming, with plenty of coverage heading to its online outlets. Some of the games will be carried on Hulu, Disney’s broad entertainment streaming service. And the league’s package of out-of-market games, previously offered on NHL.com, will move to ESPN+, the media giant’s $6-a-month sports streaming service. Comcast’s NBC has been the league’s main media partner, in a deal worth about $200 million a year that runs through the current season. “We continue to discuss a potential future with the league as we focus on the season at hand,” NBC said. Disney had announced the agreement earlier Wednesday, but withdrew the statement before reposting it. —Bloomberg News

Disney lands NHL broadcast deal with focus on streaming

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