Australia’s major pay TV service Foxtel has moved to assure subscribers that key American sports content will remain available on its platforms following the latest blow in the country’s sports streaming brawl.

Disney announced on Tuesday that ESPN’s slate of Australian and international sports programmes – including live local and US basketball and American football, as well as their continuous 24/7 channels – will soon be available on all Disney+ plans.

The content has been available to Australians through delivery partners Fetch TV and Foxtel/Kayo, and concerned users posted on social media in the wake of the announcement fearing that they might soon lose access to ESPN.

Foxtel issued a statement on Tuesday saying there would be no changes to their programming.

“We enjoy a long-standing relationship with Disney/ESPN and expect this to continue,” a Foxtel Group spokesperson said. “Only a day after the Super Bowl and on the eve of some great NBA action, we’re proud to confirm that we will continue to share ESPN content on Foxtel and Kayo.”

Although ESPN will not be exclusive to Disney+, its addition to that service may convince some to reconsider their mix of streaming subscriptions.

Disney’s Australian managing director and head of ESPN Asia-Pacific, Kylie Watson-Wheeler, described the offering as an “innovative game-changer” that would expand the appeal of the subscription service. “It further enriches our already strong and unique content offering, boosts value for subscribers, and serves sports fans anytime, anywhere,” she said.

Foxtel remains the dominant subscription TV service in Australia with more than 4.6m subscribers, of which Kayo has about a third. The industry is watching the service’s next moves, after a December announcement that it had been acquired by Saudi Arabia-backed Dazn.

Despite the competition between streaming services in recent years, ESPN has maintained an unusual position in signing deals with multiple distributors. Disney chief executive Bob Iger said last week he wanted ESPN – which also sells advertising – to be as accessible as possible.

“It’s pretty clear that young viewers, I guess you call them, or young consumers, are leaning more and more into streaming experiences, both fixed televisions on walls and mobile devices. And the more ESPN can be present for a new generation of consumers with a product that serves them really well, the better off ESPN’s business is,” Iger said.

ESPN debuted on Disney+ in Latin America in June 2024 and in the US in December.

Upcoming live ESPN programming includes the NBA All-Star Weekend, the NBL finals, MLB opening day, the NBA playoffs and the NHL playoffs.

ESPN also produces local shows such as Around The Wicket covering cricket, Nothing But Net: Aussie Hoops, and SportsCenter Australia.

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