Disney eyes sports and anime to boost Asia streaming business

[SOUTH KOREA] Disney is seeking to bring its ESPN sports brand to Asia, stepping up efforts to expand in one of the world’s fastest-growing streaming markets.

Luke Kang, president of Disney Asia Pacific, said in an interview that the company aims to add more live sports to Disney+, and gradually roll out ESPN across Asia.

Launch timing will vary by market, he said, as sports rights and fan bases differ by country.

Disney introduced ESPN on Disney+ in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year, the sports streaming brand’s first presence on the platform in the region.

“Our long-term goal is to integrate ESPN into the platform, as we do in other parts of the world, and eventually become a premier destination for sports,” Kang said on the sidelines of the Disney APAC Content Showcase in Hong Kong.

“We’re constantly looking at all of the sports rights, to see what timing is appropriate to launch ESPN,” he added.

Sports streaming has become a key battleground for US media companies vying for global growth. Rivals are also striking deals in Asia, where domestic platforms dominate live sports coverage.

Amazon’s Prime Video secured rights to stream Major League Baseball games in Japan through a partnership with South Korean broadcaster SPOTV, while Netflix plans to stream the 2026 World Baseball Classic exclusively in the country.

Disney is now weighing new licensing deals and sports events in Japan and South-east Asia, Kang said.

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With about 60 per cent of global viewing hours for top anime titles coming from outside the Asia-Pacific region, Disney is doubling down on original production.

Collaborating with renowned game designer Hideo Kojima, Disney will create a Japanese anime series based on a post-apocalyptic action game, with the working title Death Stranding Isolations. 

Unscripted programming is also becoming a key part of Disney’s Korea content line-up, which has already produced several hit crime K-dramas.

The travel reality show Are You Sure?!, which stars members of the K-pop group BTS, is returning for a second season.

A new unscripted title, Battle of Fates, will feature fortune-tellers and shamans competing in a reality contest format.

Since rolling out Disney+ in major Asian countries four years ago, Disney has pivoted its streaming strategy from local content investment in various Asian markets, to a more selective focus on quality and cross-border hits.

The company has scaled back production in South-east Asia, and merged its India business with Reliance Industries’ entertainment business entity, to create joint venture JioStar.

Disney+’s regional focus now centres on Korean dramas and Japanese anime, which have proven their appeal across Asia and in Western markets.

As part of that strategy, Disney recently integrated CJ ENM’s platform Tving into its app in Japan, a move Kang said reflects the company’s openness to potential partnerships.

Disney+ is currently the third-largest streaming platform in Asia.

It is projected to end 2025 with 19 million subscribers and US$1.4 billion in revenue across the region, excluding India and China, said Media Partners Asia.

“Disney+ is entering its second phase of streaming growth in Asia-Pacific,” said Vivek Couto, executive director at Media Partners Asia.

“Engagement remains anchored by US franchises and children’s content, but local productions – notably Korean dramas, thrillers and Japanese anime – are driving consumption and brand affinity,” he added. BLOOMBERG