Tennis star Nick Kyrgios helps Disney+ unveil ESPN in Australia

The arrival of ESPN to Disney+ in Australia is non-exclusive with the content continuing to be also available via Foxtel, Kayo Sport, Fetch TV, and Sky NZ.

Nick Kyrgios stars in new Disney+ campaign for ESPN arrival Source: Disney

ESPN will be available to Disney+ streaming customers from March 26 and will be included for all Australia and New Zealand subscribers on any plan.

Disney+ has secured Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios, who happens to be an NBA fan (he supports the Boston Celtics) to feature in a new Disney+ ad campaign for the ESPN arrival.

The date is significant for sports fans as it coincides with the start of the Major League Baseball season and the end of the regular season NBA matches ahead of the playoffs. Other ESPN offerings include NCAA March Madness, National Hockey League Stanley Cup playoff games and UFC Fight Night.

The last week of March is also of significance to consumers weighing up their streaming subscription investments. Warner Bros Discovery will be launching its long-anticipated streaming platform Max on March 31.

Disney+ first revealed in early February that it would expand its entertainment offering with the impending arrival of ESPN sports programming.

The arrival of ESPN to Disney+ in Australia is non-exclusive with the content continuing to be also available via Foxtel, Kayo Sport, Fetch TV, and Sky NZ.

The move also reshapes the streaming sports market ahead of DAZN’s acquisition of the Foxtel Group which is due to close before June 30.

Australia and New Zealand will be the first English-speaking markets outside of North America to launch the ESPN on Disney+, following the US debut in December 2024.

Disney+ was ranked third biggest streaming platform in Australia as at June 30, 2024 with 3.1m subscribers according to Telsyte data. It trailed only Netflix with 6.2m subscribers and Prime Video with 4.8m.