Overwatch League comes to Disney TV
Blizzard Entertainment has announced a broadcast deal for Overwatch League with Disney, bringing league broadcasts to Disney, ESPN, and ABC networks.
The deal has already started and is a multi-year contract, with league matches set to be broadcast on ESPN, Disney XD, and ABC.
The Season 1 quarterfinal matches will be the first matches to air live, broadcasting on Disney XD and ESPN3. The upcoming semifinals and finals will also be broadcast live, and the deal includes rights to recaps and potential supplementary content that has yet to be detailed.
Overwatch League Commissioner Nate Nanzer has previously outlined Blizzard’s strategy to bring professional esports to a wider audience. This new television deal will bring Blizzard nearer to achieving this goal by airing games on mainstream television channels.
The new deal will not only increase ease of access to Overwatch League content, but has the potential to bring in an entirely new audience. According to ESPN Vice President of Digital Media Programming John Lasker, the deal includes a broad scope of rights that ESPN “plan to take full advantage of.”
With both the Heroes of the Dorm competition and the Overwatch League Contenders series having previously aired on ESPN and Disney XD respectively, this isn’t the first time that Disney and Blizzard have worked together. However, it is the first time that such a large deal including access to so many networks and over such a number of years has been made.
The Overwatch League Season 1 Playoffs will debut on Disney XD on July 11th. The semifinals will broadcast on July 18th on the same channel, while the finals will air on July 27th on ESPN.
Fariha Bhatti
About Fariha Bhatti
Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.
View full profile
Read Also
Slots
A Look at Le Prechaun, Hacksaw Gaming’s Latest Outing for Smokey
Ian John
If you follow the output from Hacksaw Gaming, then you will be familiar with their popular “Le” series of games, featuring the recurring character Smokey the Raccoon. The latest incarnation in the series sees Smokey heading to the beautiful verdant countryside of Ireland in the aptly named Le Prechaun slot, which hits casinos on the July 16, 2026. With pots of gold and lucky clovers, Le Prechaun continues the trend ...
Big Wins
Here’s a round-up of what Kick gambling streamers won in the second week of July
Hannan Mundia
July has been a month marked by thrilling 2026 World Cup action so far, but it is fair to say that casino streamers have also been very active on Kick, with the second week seeing multiple huge wins. The last seven days were extremely eventful, especially in the online gambling community. Most streamers were busy attempting to win big with their World Cup predictions, though it isn’t a stretch to ...
Twitch
Is Twitch fast-tracking Partner status for Kai Cenat’s Streamer University participants?
Khizar Mundia
Kai Cenat’s Streamer University 2026 is set to be one of the biggest streaming events of the year, and it has already generated plenty of excitement and debate online. The latest discussion centers on reports that some participants may have had their Twitch Partner applications fast-tracked, sparking further speculation that the platform is backing the event. Kai Cenat is one of the most recognizable content creators in the world and ...
Slots
How to play Aliens Among Us, one of the summer’s best slots
Ben Boland
This has been the summer of supposed UFO disclosure. From Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day movie to the White House's document releases, UFOs — or UAPs as they are now commonly known — are all the rage at the moment. Well enter stage left the Aliens Among Us slot from Hacksaw Gaming, a brand new release that has set the internet ablaze. The Aliens Among Us game launched at all major ...
News
Breaking down the Esports World Cup 2026’s HUGE $75 million USD prize pool
Michael Hassall
In more ways than one the Esports World Cup is the largest esports event on the planet, but by far the most dramatic way is the massive $75 million dollar prize prize pool. Split across 25 events in 24 titles, the individual pools represent some of the largest single payouts in each game. But of course, the $75 million isn’t weighted into a single game, or even just split 25 ...
News
Stake co-founder Eddie Craven praises Plinko — here’s why the casino game is so popular
Khizar Mundia
Stake co-founder Eddie Craven recently showcased the dizzying metrics of the casino game Plinko, highlighting its popularity based on the $70 billion wagered on it since its launch nine years ago. Crypto casino Stake has thousands of casino games, with many being its exclusive Original creations. Stake Plinko is one such Original Stake game that is popular among casino streamers and Eddie Craven recently discussed the game’s impressive growth, showcasing ...
News
World Cup 2026: As we reach the quarter-finals, what do the odds say?
Ben Boland
The 2026 World Cup has delivered one of the most thrilling tournaments in living memory, with the expanded 48-team format widely being praised for the competitive nature of the underdogs — particularly those like Cape Verde making their debut in the competition. July 8 is the first rest day in what has been a breathless opening four weeks, so it is an ideal opportunity to assess the remaining eight teams ...
