All posts tagged: ESPN

Frank Marshall Says ESPN2 Pulled ‘Rachel, Breathe’ Over Rights Dispute

Frank Marshall Says ESPN2 Pulled ‘Rachel, Breathe’ Over Rights Dispute

Published by Daniella Wilson

Director Frank Marshall says his documentary Rachel, Breathe was pulled from ESPN2 shortly before it was supposed to air Sunday night due to a disagreement with the network over rights to the project. “I’m sad to report that RACHEL, BREATHE, will not premiere on ESPN2 today,” Marshall posted on X on Sunday. “After several days of negotiations that should have been very simple and were not about money, but rights, the ESPN lawyers stopped talking to us an hour before broadcast and said, ‘sign it now or we are pulling the show’. I’m extremely disappointed for Rachel and John and entire team that spent 2 years making this film about hope, love and friendship.  We remain genuinely excited for the day this documentary reaches the world, it is simply not tonight. And just like Rachel, we remain resilient and the moment I know where and when the premiere is, you will hear from me.” I’m sad to report that RACHEL, BREATHE, will not premiere on ESPN2 today. After several days of negotiations that should have …

How to Watch 2026 NBA Playoffs Online: Livestream Basketball Games

How to Watch 2026 NBA Playoffs Online: Livestream Basketball Games

Published by Daniella Wilson

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, The Hollywood Reporter may receive an affiliate commission. With the end of the 2025-26 NBA regular season, the top 16 teams in the league compete to hoist the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy in victory. There’s a lot of star power going into the playoffs — including Donovan Mitchell, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Nikola Jokić, Cade Cunningham, Victor Wembanyama and others — but only one team can win it all this season. The NBA Playoffs season starts on Saturday, Apr. 18, while the postseason ends with the NBA Finals on Friday, June 19 — if the championship series goes seven games. At a Glance: Watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs Live Online Ratings for the NBA has grown in the past year ever since the league moved games from cable TV with TNT to network broadcast television with NBC, as the NBA All-Star Game drew in nearly 9 million viewers back in February, a 15-year high. Moreover, last season’s NBA Finals, …

Disney Layoffs Hit Studios, TV, ESPN Under New CEO Josh D’Amaro

Disney Layoffs Hit Studios, TV, ESPN Under New CEO Josh D’Amaro

Published by Daniella Wilson

Layoffs are hitting The Walt Disney Co., beginning Tuesday. CEO Josh D’Amaro, only a month into the job, informed staff of the cuts in a memo. A source familiar with the matter tells The Hollywood Reporter that around 1,000 jobs are expected to be eliminated. Cuts are expected in the company’s unified marketing organization under Asad Ayaz, which Disney announced in January, as well as in its studios and TV businesses, ESPN, product & technology, and certain corporate functions. The unified marketing structure brought all of Disney’s sprawling marketing apparatus, from films, TV and ESPN to streaming and theme parks, into one group. The company is said to be shifting more resources to other strategic priorities, especially given the rapid changes facing the entertainment business. “Over the past several months, we have looked at ways in which we can streamline our operations in various parts of the company to ensure we deliver the world-class creativity and innovation our fans value and expect from Disney,” D’Amaro wrote in his memo. “Given the fast-moving pace of our …

ESPN on Disney Plus Is Expanding to More Countries

ESPN on Disney Plus Is Expanding to More Countries

Published by skeptic

More people will be able to watch ESPN programming through Disney Plus with Tuesday’s launch of ESPN on Disney Plus in Europe and select Asia-Pacific markets.  With expansion into more than 50 countries and territories in those regions, people in 100 markets worldwide can now stream ESPN content through Disney Plus, according to a Disney Plus news release. The offering brings live sporting events and studio shows together with general entertainment and family programming in a single app. In markets including Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong, a curated selection of English‑language ESPN sports programming is now available on Disney Plus, according to the release. Disney Plus also said, “the initial [ESPN on Disney Plus] offering will vary by market but will grow to thousands of live events over the next year.”  Programming includes US coverage of the NBA and NHL starting with the 2026-27 season, college sports and more live events. Disney Plus subscribers can watch ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary collection and select studio shows. Pre-existing sports content on Disney Plus in Europe …

2026 NCAA Basketball Finals TV Ratings Rise

2026 NCAA Basketball Finals TV Ratings Rise

Published by Daniella Wilson

A pair of powerhouse matchups in the NCAA basketball championships resulted in big audiences for the men’s and women’s finals. Both games showed year-to-year ratings gains — which is particularly notable for the men’s side, as Monday’s final aired on TNT Sports rather than CBS; the broadcast network’s years with the title game typically bring in larger audiences. Michigan’s 69-63 win over Connecticut Monday night averaged 18.3 million viewers on TBS, TNT and TruTV, up a little from the 18.1 million who watched the 2025 title game on CBS (with the caveat that Nielsen has added a big data component to its ratings measurement this season). Monday’s telecast improved by about 23 percent over the last time TNT Sports carried the championship in 2024 and was the most watched men’s title game since 2019. The women’s championship game Sunday afternoon on ABC and ESPN, meanwhile, delivered 9.88 million viewers who watched UCLA thump South Carolina, 79-51. The game grew about 16 percent from 8.5 million viewers last year and finished as the third most-watched women’s …

Schedule, How to Watch Online for Free

Schedule, How to Watch Online for Free

Published by Daniella Wilson

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, The Hollywood Reporter may receive an affiliate commission. The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is back and more popular than ever. The league recently broke the attendance record for the Boston Legacy FC’s home opener with more than 30,000 fans at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. With Gotham FC reigning champions, dethroning Trinity Rodman and the Washington Spirit, the NWSL regular season goes until Sunday, Nov. 1. The new season just started and fans are flocking to matches in-person and livestreams online. Check out a complete 2026 NWSL season schedule here. At a Glance: How to Stream 2026 NWSL Season Online When: Mar. 13 to Nov. 1 Channels: CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ION Television Stream online: DirecTV, Prime Video, Paramount+, ESPN Unlimited, Disney+, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Frndly TV, Sling TV Want to watch online? If you want to catch all of the soccer action, keep reading to find out how to watch the NWSL regular season with and without …

NCAA Women’s March Madness, Selection Sunday 2026: Watch Online Free

NCAA Women’s March Madness, Selection Sunday 2026: Watch Online Free

Published by Daniella Wilson

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, The Hollywood Reporter may receive an affiliate commission. March Madness is here! Before the games begin, the women’s tournament starts with Selection Sunday, which reveals all 68 teams, seedings and matchups during the first round of the massive annual collegiate competition. At a Glance: How to Watch NCAA Women’s March Madness Selection Sunday 2026 Online Want to watch the bracket reveal TV special online? Women’s college basketball fans can watch Selection Sunday on ESPN. Here’s what to expect: The UConn Huskies are likely to be at the top of the bracket, as the No. 1 seed. And with an undefeated record of 34-0, the team is also in the best position to repeat as championships in 2026. South Carolina, UCLA and Texas are all expected to be championship contenders this year too. There are a few ways to watch Women’s Selection Sunday this year. Here’s what you need to know. NCAA Women’s March Madness Selection Sunday 2026: Date, Start Time …

Apple TV Claims First F1 Viewership Victory Over ESPN

Apple TV Claims First F1 Viewership Victory Over ESPN

Published by skeptic

Apple TV aired the first Formula 1 race of the 2026 season last weekend following an exclusive streaming rights partnership for five years, and Apple senior VP of services Eddy Cue is already calling it a win for the company. Cue told The Hollywood Reporter that viewership for last week’s Australian Grand Prix was up year over year compared to the 2025 race, which aired on ESPN. “The 2026 Formula 1 season on Apple TV is off to a strong start, with fans responding positively and viewership up year over year for the first weekend, exceeding both F1 and Apple expectations,” Cue said. As is typical for Apple TV, Cue declined to offer specific viewing figures, but we do know that last year’s Australian GP garnered an averaged 1.1 million viewers for ESPN on its late-night time slot. Any increase in viewership over ESPN is a victory for Apple, and with U.S. races like Miami and Las Vegas coming up, the company is likely betting on more ratings improvements over the previous rights holder. F1 …

Disney Plus Hulu Bundle​ Streaming Discount

Disney Plus Hulu Bundle​ Streaming Discount

Published by Daniella Wilson

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, The Hollywood Reporter may receive an affiliate commission. For fans of award-winning TV, Oscar-nominated films, the Marvel universe, family-friendly movies and beyond, Disney+ and Hulu is running one of its best promotions of the year. In fact, outside of Black Friday, it’s one of the only annual savings events offered by The Walt Disney Company’s streaming services. Through March 24, customers can get three months of Disney+ and Hulu for $4.99 per month (reg. $12.99 per month). Regularly priced at $12.99 per month, the ad-supported Disney+, Hulu Bundle promotion comes out to a savings of 62 percent, perfectly timed with the height of Ryan Murphy’s Love Story (FX on Hulu), and just days before the streaming premiere of Disney’s Zootopia 2. Following the three-month period, subscriptions will auto-renew at $12.99 per month (or the then-current regular monthly price), but can be cancelled at any time. Learn more about this limited-time promo and other streaming savings opportunities below. Best Disney+ Bundle …

DraftKings and ESPN link sports betting to March Madness bracket contests

DraftKings and ESPN link sports betting to March Madness bracket contests

Published by skeptic

DraftKings and ESPN are preparing a new account-linking feature that will connect sports betting directly with the massive college basketball bracket contests that take over every March. The companies revealed the plan during the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, describing it as a way to blend sportsbook wagering with ESPN’s digital sports platforms. The rollout is expected to arrive ahead of the upcoming men’s and women’s March Madness tournaments. The events recently drew the largest television audiences the tournament has seen in more than thirty years, making the timing especially valuable for both companies. .@DraftKings and @espn Detail Plans to Provide Account Linking for Customers Discussed today at the @SloanSportsConf, customers will be able to unlock a more personalized and streamlined experience by linking their accounts, along with access to exclusive features such as the… pic.twitter.com/4QsFfs3qIc — DraftKings News (@DraftKingsNews) March 6, 2026 When the feature launches, users will be able to connect their DraftKings Sportsbook accounts to their ESPN profiles. Once linked, fans will unlock personalized betting options, promotions, and features that draw on …