Amazon Reportedly Discussing Collaboration with Disney for ESPN Streaming

Amazon is reportedly in talks with the Walt Disney Company as it is interested in the streaming version of ESPN, the entertainment and sports programming network owned by the said mass media firm. With this move, the e-commerce and tech giant has officially joined other major brands in pursuing a possible partnership deal for ESPN.

Based on the reports, Amazon is still in the early stages of discussion with Walt Disney. The talk is about working together on the online streaming version of the popular sports channel, which is currently in development.

Through the potential team-up, Amazon may also purchase a minority stake in ESPN. This new information was shared on Thursday, Aug. 24, by sources who are familiar with the matter.

Reuters reported that Disney and ESPN are still in the middle of calculating the appropriate price for the new streaming service. But then again, the sports network is already thinking of charging about $20 to $35 per month for the streaming service, which will be launched soon.

Observers said that the suggested price range will make the ESPN streaming service the most expensive in the United States. In any case, if the deal pushes through and Amazon starts offering ESPN through its own streaming service, it will be able to expand its distribution, boosting its sales. Moreover, the agreement will also bolster ESPN’s position as the biggest group in the field of sports media, even if its TV viewership has been declining recently.

Meanwhile, Front Office Sports reported that Walt Disney previously said it was open to selling its ESPN asset, but later, the company’s chief executive officer, Bob Iger, said that the company is “not necessarily looking for a cash infusion” but rather “partners that are going to help ESPN transition to a direct-to-consumer model.

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