Disney readies cross-platform Super Bowl blitz
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Axios' Sara Fischer, ESPN host Laura Rutledge and Rita Ferro, president of global advertising at Disney. Photo: Christine Wang/Axios
CANNES, France — Disney's sweeping plans for next year's Super Bowl will flex the entertainment giant's massive platform across broadcast, streaming and experiences, Rita Ferro, president of global advertising at Disney told Axios on Monday.
Why it matters: Media companies are betting on live sports as they compete for subscribers in a maturing streaming market.
What she's saying: "Live has really been a cornerstone driving our growth strategy and our brand partnership strategy for so many years," Ferro told Axios' Sara Fischer, adding that brands have been especially focused on that opportunity over the past year.
- "They want to take advantage of cultural conversation, really take it beyond the screen and activate it across their full platform and our full platform, and really leverage it to drive growth and connections with audiences," she said.
- "So, that's exactly what we're leaning into for next year."
Catch up quick: Disney has the broadcast rights for Super Bowl LXI next year which will be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
- As part of its rights deal, Disney plans to air the game on ABC and ESPN. Streaming was not part of the picture when ABC last broadcast the big game in 2006.
- Disney's other live events broadcast rights include the Grammys starting next year, the Oscars through 2028 and the CMAs through 2032. ESPN has college football playoff rights.
Zoom in: ESPN plans to set up a live studio on Santa Monica pier that will serve as the network's hub for the week before the Super Bowl.
- For advertisers, Ferro noted that half of the Super Bowl's audience is women and that next year's game falls on both Valentine's Day and a long weekend, which she said is an opportunity to "show up differently and tell stories differently."
- "It's a blessing and a curse. There is way more demand than there is units available to sell," Ferro said.
The bottom line: Disney can tap into different audiences across its portfolio with Hulu and Disney+ as well as its international markets.
- "The reach and scale that we have, I think, is one of the reasons that the NFL is now in partnership with ESPN in a very different way," she said.
- ESPN host Laura Rutledge pointed to the 24-hour Super Bowl handoff event earlier this year in front of SoFi as a "little taste" of next year's broadcast and Disney's commitment.
- "We're only scratching the surface right now, but it is so exciting, and I am so proud of what we're going to continue to put out there for fans and ultimately leading up to the incredible big game, which we're committed to cover at the highest level," she said.
Editor's note: This story was corrected to reflect Disney has only confirmed plans to air the Super Bowl on ABC and ESPN (not Hulu and Disney+).
