If the NBA and NFL move to Disney+, where does it leave Foxtel?

Disney+ is likely to introduce live sports content in Australia in a move that could have major implications for the long-running relationship between Foxtel and sports broadcasting giant ESPN.

Currently, Foxtel and its streaming service Kayo is the home to the US’s top sports leagues in Australia. This is because of a deal between Foxtel and Disney-owned ESPN, which allows Foxtel to broadcast games of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Baseball (MLB) as well as college sports and UFC.

Foxtel and its streaming service Kayo is currently the home to the United States’ top sports leagues in Australia. Credit: AP

ESPN’s current two-year deal with Foxtel runs until July. It is unclear what exactly Disney’s plan to put major US sports on Disney+ would mean for this deal, which could still be renewed, though it is likely those sports would no longer be available for Kayo customers.

The change raises risks for Foxtel, which was recently sold by News Corp to British sports streaming giant DAZN, taking on the company’s debt load while repaying loans to its current owners.

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