• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

Bob Iger Calls ESPN’s Upcoming Flagship the Best Sports Product Ever

The critical endeavor for Disney is taking on even greater importance for the ESPN parent company after CEO Bob Iger called it “the best product the consumer has ever seen in sports.”

Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Expectations were already quite high for the forthcoming, direct-to-consumer version of ESPN. Disney CEO Bob Iger took them into the stratosphere early Thursday in the company’s latest earnings call.

“In my opinion, this will be the best product the consumer has ever seen in sports,” Iger said of the streaming service, known broadly and colloquially as ESPN Flagship, in the call with industry analysts. 

The streaming service, long targeted for a fall 2025 debut to coincide with next year’s college and pro football seasons, stands as a critical endeavor for not only ESPN but all of Disney. Looking to navigate the broader media industry disruption that has hit the company hard, Disney intends to take ESPN’s content and combine it with a series of enhanced features, including multiscreen viewing, full integration with ESPN Bet, ticketing, merchandising, fantasy content, and advanced statistics, among others. 

Artificial intelligence will also be used to provide a heightened level of personalization for each subscriber’s experience. 

“When you apply technology to the presentation of sports, almost anything is possible,” Iger said. “This will be designed to serve the consumer in the most compelling way ESPN has ever served the consumer.”

Much of the oversight of the forthcoming product, however, will ultimately lie with the next Disney CEO. Iger is set to step down at the end of 2026, and board member James Gorman was appointed in August to lead a succession committee. A Wall Street Journal report this week said the search is now moving beyond a group of internal candidates that has included ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro.

Broader Results

Disney, meanwhile, reported $22.6 billion in total revenue for its fiscal fourth quarter, up 6% from the comparable period a year ago and beating analyst projections. Operating income rose 23% to $3.7 billion, boosted significantly by the company’s entertainment division. 

Perhaps more notably, the company also made a somewhat rare move to issue earnings guidance not just for its fiscal 2025 but the next three years, projecting growth through 2027, and by double-digit percentages in both 2026 and 2027.

“We have emerged from a period of considerable challenges and disruption well positioned for growth and optimistic about our future,” Iger said. 

The sports division, led by ESPN, had a flat revenue figure of $3.9 billion, and operating income fell 5% to $929 million, with higher programming and production costs related to college football cutting into the unit’s earnings. On both a quarterly and annual basis, ESPN’s domestic operations remain profitable while its international activities act as a drag on the balance sheet. 

ESPN+ subscriptions increased 3% to 25.6 million, restoring a growth pattern to that streaming product after it had spent nearly a year in essentially a flat position. The product also posted its second straight quarter of profitability, and Disney’s overall DTC business posted $321 million in operating income, reversing a comparable $387 million loss in this period a year ago while growing revenue 13% to $6.3 billion. 

A long-planned ESPN tile on Disney+, also bringing sports content to a broader set of consumers, is now set to debut Dec. 4. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Oct 26, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Marvin Bagley III (35) and forward Kyshawn George (18) talk after a turnover against the Charlotte Hornets during the third quarter at Capital One Arena.
exclusive

Wizards Hire Ex-ESPN Editor Cristina Daglas for Front Office Role

ESPN placed Cristina Daglas on administrative leave in January.

NFL Ratings Continue to Surge: CBS and NBC on a Record Pace

NBC is averaging 24.7 million viewers per game for “Sunday Night Football.”
FuboTV

Disney’s Fubo Deal Closes After DOJ Ends Antitrust Review

The deal creates the sixth-largest pay-TV company in the U.S.

SEC Coaches Kiffin, Smart Question LSU’s Firing of Kelly: ‘Ridiculous’ 

Three SEC teams have fired their football coaches midseason.

Featured Today

September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin
October 25, 2025

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
YouTube/ Multiple streaming services appear on a Roku TV.

YouTube in Another Carriage Dispute, This Time With Disney

ESPN and ABC could be dropped from the No. 4 U.S. pay-TV distributor.
May 17, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) shakes hands with New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) after the top of the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium.
October 23, 2025

Mets, Yankees, and the Nielsen Debate That Won’t Go Away

Weeks after the end of the MLB regular season, viewership issues remain.
Oct 21, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) keeps the ball away from Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) during the second half at Paycom Center
October 23, 2025

NBA’s NBC Return Draws 5.9M Viewers, Best Opener Since 2010

Thunder vs. Rockets peaked at 7.1 million viewers.
Sponsored

Why Alexis Ohanian Is Betting Big on Women’s Sports

Alexis Ohanian reflects on his evolution from Reddit cofounder to one of today’s most dynamic sports investors.
Brian Windhorst
October 23, 2025

Brian Windhorst Details Emergency Landing on Omaha–L.A. Flight

The pilots and flight attendants had a communication issue.
October 22, 2025

YouTube Stars Help Bring Back Golf Channel’s ‘Big Break’

The show will return in 2026 after an 11-year hiatus.
Candace Parker
October 22, 2025

Candace Parker Wants NFL-Style Coverage From NBA Media

Amazon will stream its first NBA doubleheader Friday.
Netflix
October 21, 2025

Netflix Staying on the Sidelines As TNT Sports Parent Seeks Buyer

The streaming giant shows little interest in acquisition possibilities.