Cablevision & Walt Disney Co. Make Distribution Deal

BETHPAGE: Cablevision had agreed to distribute sports, news and entertainment programming from The Walt Disney Company across television, the Internet and mobile devices.

The multi-year deal covers around 70 services, such as the full suite of WATCH products, ESPN3 and ESPN 3D, and the forthcoming ABC News/Univision Joint Venture, a round-the-clock network for bilingual Hispanics.

The agreement also includes ABC, ABC Family, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes, ESPNEWS, ESPN Classic, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN GamePlan and ESPN FullCourt, among many others.

Additionally, Cablevision customers will have broad access to more On Demand programming via Disney’s TV+ initiative.

“This significant agreement ensures that our customers will continue to have access to dozens of ABC, Disney and ESPN networks for years to come and, for the first time, they will be able to enjoy Disney and ESPN programming outside the home,” said James L. Dolan, Cablevision’s president and CEO.“It includes the launch of new services like ESPN3, and expanded availability of high-quality On Demand content, which is a key element of our video strategy and value proposition to customers.”

“With our robust and ever-growing multi-platform content offerings, we’re pleased to be able to expand our relationship with Cablevision,” said Anne Sweeney, co-chair of Disney Media Networks and the president of Disney/ABC Television Group. “We look forward to working together to deliver our viewers and their customers better access to our broad portfolio of high-quality programming.”

John Skipper, the president of ESPN, Inc., added: “Working with Cablevision, we’re able to strengthen the value of the multichannel subscription by delivering 24/7 live access to our content, which is at the core of our collective commitment to sports fans.”