Disney’s sports ad sales near $4 billion; streaming holds 40% share

Disney locks in 69 multi-year sports deals, sees Oscars ad units nearly double, and reports strong growth from CPG, pharma, and indie agencies in its upfront.

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Disney Advertising has wrapped up its 2025-2026 upfront negotiations with advertisers, with overall volumes holding steady year-on-year and strong momentum in two key pillars: sports and streaming.

Sports advertising across Disney’s linear and addressable inventory touched nearly $4 billion — a figure that signals not just the scale of its live sports portfolio but also advertisers’ growing appetite for sports content. The company inked 69 multi-year deals in the category, with high-demand properties like Monday Night Football and College Football seeing double-digit volume growth. Women’s sports too saw a major upswing in ad interest, with volume up in double digits for events like the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, WNBA, and even emerging formats like softball and volleyball.

The growth of women’s sports also stood out this year. Disney reported double-digit volume increases for marquee properties such as the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, WNBA, and growing demand around “emerging engagement” categories like softball and volleyball.

The NBA portfolio posted high single-digit volume growth, with special mention to key tentpoles like the NBA Finals and the popular studio show “Inside the NBA.”

In the streaming arena, volume was also up. Streaming accounted for over 40% of total upfront volume, in line with the year prior. This reflects Disney’s ongoing pivot toward ad-supported digital formats — a shift accelerated by the expansion of inventory across global markets.

"As the velocity of change in the advertising landscape continues to accelerate, this Upfront demonstrates the enduring power of storytelling, premium environments, and that the value of trusted relationships matter to marketers,” said Rita Ferro, president, global advertising, Disney. “Our strength in streaming and live events delivers results at scale, and we’re shaping what’s next for the entire industry.”

Disney’s dominance in live event programming also led to early advertiser commitments for major tentpoles like The Oscars®, CMA Awards, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest. The Oscars in particular saw a surge in interest, with ad unit sales nearly doubling from last year’s upfront.

In addition, Disney Advertising broadened its partnerships with independent agencies, which recorded double-digit growth in Sports and Streaming. Traditional advertiser categories — including financial services, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, and beverages — also saw solid momentum, reflecting overall market trends.




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