ABC AFFILIATES RAISE CONCERNS OVER DISNEY'S SUPER BOWL COVERAGE

ABC affiliates have raised concerns about Disney’s plan to show Super Bowl LXI across several television channels and streaming services. They fear viewers may choose alternatives to ABC, reducing the audience for advertising sold by local stations. An unnamed station group chief executive estimated that advertising revenue linked to broadcast viewing could fall by as much as 35% compared with last year. The ABC Television Affiliates Association Board of Governors is discussing the plan.

ABC will show the Super Bowl for the first time since 2006, following Disney’s 2021 media rights agreement with the NFL. ESPN will produce the main broadcast, with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman as commentators. ESPN2 will carry Peyton and Eli Manning’s ManningCast, while ESPNU will show a Field Pass programme featuring The Pat McAfee Show. NFL Network will offer coverage using Next Gen Stats. Disney also plans a Star Wars-themed version on Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney+, alongside Spanish-language coverage on ESPN Deportes and Disney+.

Local ABC stations can sell advertising during the game to businesses in their markets, while advertisers buy many other slots nationally. The unnamed chief executive said: “I don’t have a problem with what Disney is doing — I have a problem that there’s no acknowledgement that we’re losing money.” The chair of the affiliates association’s board declined to comment. A Disney spokesperson said: “Our ABC affiliates are important partners and we always take that into careful consideration when making these decisions.”