Media Insider: US sports channel ESPN will now be shared in New Zealand between Sky TV and Disney+

Lakers forward LeBron James (left) and Warriors guard Stephen Curry – NBA games on ESPN will now screen on Disney+ and Sky in New Zealand. Photo / AP

American sports channel ESPN will now have two homes in New Zealand – Sky, where it has been for more than 30 years, and Disney+.

Disney+ announced on Tuesday that ESPN would start screening on its platform in New Zealand and Australia “in the coming months”, with the likes of live NBA basketball, Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Hockey League (NHL) ice hockey games.

The move is a further sign of streamers’ aggressive strategy to build new audiences by securing sports fans’ hearts and eyeballs.

Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime have recently scooped up live rights to events such as selected NFL and European football matches. And British-owned streamer DAZN has announced an audacious A$3.4 billion ($3.75b) deal to buy Rupert Murdoch’s Foxtel in Australia – it has the rights to Australian cricket, AFL and rugby league, including the NRL.

In a statement today, Disney+ said New Zealand and Australia were the first English-speaking markets outside North America to launch ESPN on Disney+, following the US debut in December.

The deal means Sky TV – which has the ESPN1 and ESPN2 channels as part of its sports package – loses exclusive rights to ESPN in New Zealand.

A Sky spokeswoman would not comment when asked if the new deal meant Sky would now pay a lower commercial fee for its ESPN licence.

“This doesn’t change the ESPN offer on Sky,” she said in a statement.

“We continue to offer full access to live sports coverage on ESPN1 and ESPN2 on Sky Sport, Sky Sport Now and Sky Go. We are proud to offer Sky customers the most comprehensive range of sports coverage in New Zealand, which includes a wide range of top-tier sports programming including Super Rugby, NRL, Premier League, Formula One and more.”

Sky launched in New Zealand in 1990 – ESPN content has been with the pay-TV operator from almost day one.

The announcement of ESPN becoming “co-exclusive” comes at a time when Sky is dealing with a barrage of customer complaints over poor TV reception caused by an ailing satellite. Sky’s chief financial officer announced her immediate resignation last week. The company will announce its half-year financial results on Friday next week.

In many ways, the new deal between ESPN and Disney+ makes perfect business sense. ESPN is 80% owned by the Walt Disney Company – the other 20% is owned by Hearst Communications.

“All Disney+ Premium and Standard subscribers in Australia and New Zealand will have access to ESPN on Disney+, with thousands of premier sporting events on show,” Disney+ said in a statement.

Walt Disney Company Australia and New Zealand senior vice-president and managing director and head of ESPN Asia-Pacific Kylie Watson-Wheeler said she was excited about the new deal, calling sport on Disney+ “an innovative game-changer”.

“It further enriches our already strong and unique content offering, boosts value for subscribers and serves sports fans anytime, anywhere.”

Editor-at-large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including managing editor, NZ Herald editor and Herald on Sunday editor, and has a small shareholding in NZME.