By Mallory Mattingly
Disney’s overall content spending will increase to $24 billion next year due to the costs for sports like the NBA.
“We expect to invest approximately $24 billion in content across Entertainment and Sports in fiscal 2026, an increase of $1 billion compared to the prior year, as we continue to invest in high quality sports rights at ESPN, new and existing franchises at our film studio, and television content — all of which support our integrated businesses, including our direct-to-consumer services,” Disney CEO Bob Iger and CFO Hugh Johnston said in a call last Thursday, per The Hollywood Reporter.
The Walt Disney Company expects to spend $24 billion on content next year.
Disney CEO Bob Iger said:
“We expect to invest approximately $24 billion in content across Entertainment and Sports in fiscal 2026, an increase of $1 billion compared to the prior year.” pic.twitter.com/1YSDw7amk6
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In the fourth quarter earnings report from The Walt Disney Company, Iger shared, “We remain disciplined in our approach to capital allocation, as we continue to invest in high-quality sports rights at ESPN, new and existing franchises at our film studio, and television content.”
Iger and Johnston addressed Disney’s investment in the NBA in a conversation with with Wall Street analysts.
“Because of the timing of the rights costs, it does create a little bit of bumpiness over the course of the year,” Johnston said, per Deadline. “The NBA is obviously a phenomenal property.”
The NBA draws a “scale audience, which is obviously super-attractive to advertisers and therefore is strategically beneficial to us as well,” the CFO added.
After this past year, Iger feels confident in Disney’s future.
“This was another year of great progress as we strengthened the company by leveraging the value of our creative and brand assets and continued to make meaningful progress in our direct-to-consumer businesses,” he said. “Our strategy, coupled with our portfolio of complementary businesses and a strong balance sheet, enables us to continue investing in high-quality offerings for our consumers and increasing our returns to shareholders, and I’m pleased with our many achievements this fiscal year to position Disney for the future.”
The increase in spending will also add to ESPN’s lineup of live broadcasts.
ESPN reduced rights with UFC and Formula 1 but expanded its deals with the NBA and WNBA. Therefore, Disney could expect more revenue from those events.
Disney’s streaming business grew as well. From January 2024 (111.3 million) to October 2025 (131.6 million), Disney+ garnered 20.3 million new subscribers. However, next year, the entertainment giant will no longer report its quarterly streaming subscribers, so this may be time the public can see its growth.
Time will tell how Disney’s big investment in sports pays off.
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