Disney+ strikes ‘landmark’ Atresplayer deal in Spain

Disney+ is expanding its broadcaster partnerships in Europe by striking a far-reaching deal with Spain’s Atresmedia that includes day-and-date series launches.

The agreement will see more than 300 hours of programming from streamer Atresplayer heading to a branded space on Disney+ in Spain. It follows similar pacts struck by the global streamer with the UK’s ITVX and Germany’s ZDF Studios.

Unlike those deals, however, the Spanish arrangement grants Disney+ co-exclusive rights to a raft of productions from Atresplayer, including buzzy titles such as upcoming drama Mar Afuera, the remake of Beta Film’s Mare Fuori.

Pegged as a “landmark agreement”, the deal is the first alliance of note in Spain between a major commercial broadcaster and one of the main global streaming services.

The deal kicks in later this month and will see Disney+ customers in Spain gaining access to a Atresplayer branded space on the service, with programming included as part of their subscription.

More than 300 hours of Atresplayer content that has been produced in Spain will become available across the year, with shows regularly updated. Antena 3 series such as La Encrucijada and Sueños de Libertad are included, as well as hits including Vis a Vis and Física o Química.

Financial specifics around the pact have been kept under wraps but Karl Holmes, general manager for Disney+ EMEA, told Broadcast International that it was a “long-term” arrangement.

He added: “The really exciting bit about this deal is that a lot of the shows included are current, and a lot of it is day and date. That’s quite distinct from what we have done with ITVX and ZDF.”

Holmes said the day-and-date inclusion of Mar Afuera, an Atresplayer original that is also a remake of the Italian juvenile prison drama Mare Fuori, highlighted the scale play that Disney+ could offer to Atresmedia.

“If you compare and contrast the deals it speaks to the difference in what Atresmedia is trying to achieve versus what ZDF is trying to achieve and versus what ITVX wants.

“What we think about hard when we partner with FTA partners is what do they need,” he said, adding that gthe pact would offer “greater scale for [Atresplayer] content and it helps them to fund some of the cost of the types of high quality originals they’re producing.”

Javier Bardají, chief exec at Atresmedia, said: “This pioneering and unprecedented agreement with Disney+, one of the largest international streaming platforms, consolidates the leadership of Atresmedia and Atresplayer, reaffirming the success of their innovative content strategy.

“It allows us to expand the reach of our productions, promoting Spanish talent and culture. Disney and Atresmedia share the quality and ambition of their content, as well as the care of their brands. It was only logical that we would meet.”

Bardají said the “alliance” would also strengthen his company “as the engine and benchmark of our industry and confirms Atresplayer as the leading Spanish platform and local hero in our country, with a trajectory of continuous growth.”

Holmes added that the agreement reflected Disney+’s “broader commitment to supporting local broadcasters across Europe.”

He continued: “We’re focused on bringing the very best, local stories to our customers, alongside our extraordinary slate of original Disney+ series such as recent hit Ladrones: la tiara de Santa Agueda and global hit movies and shows like Lilo & Stitch and FX’s The Bear.”