Streamer’s shows will sit alongside Sky originals, as pay operator also unveils new streaming bundle including HBO Max
Sky has struck a far-reaching deal with Disney+ to integrate the streamer’s content into its content platform in the UK and launch a new channel.
Under the multi-year agreement, which is expected to increase Disney+ reach in the country by 40%, the streamer’s Standard with Ads plan will be included in eligible Sky TV packages from March.
It will provide access to the entirety of the Disney+ library to Sky subscribers at no extra cost, providing access to TV shows from Grey’s Anatomy, Modern Family and The Simpsons to FX’s The Bear, ABC’s High Potential and Disney original Rivals.
Movies such as Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps will also be included, while Sky Cinema subscribers will get exclusive access to a new Disney+ Cinema linear channel that airs movies available on Disney+.
The move comes as Sky’s exclusive output deal for HBO content comes to an end. Sky will promote Disney+ programmes alongside its own content on the ‘Continue Watching’ rail and in recommendations for what to watch.
Shows that viewers have not finished watching will also appear on Sky’s ‘Continue Watching’ rail, with customers able to activate Disney+ through Sky Q, Sky Glass or Sky Stream. Existing Disney+ customers can also move their account and profiles to Sky.
Sky chief consumer officer Sophia Ahmad told Broadcast that the deal was part of its strategy to become streamers’ “partner of choice” in the UK.
“We’ve agreed a much deeper integration with Disney+ that allows vieweers to continue watching shows via our platform and they can voice search - it really allows customers to jump between their favourite shows seamlessly across different subscriptions.”
Disney+ EMEA general manager Karl Holmes added that his focus was on growth in the UK, which is the streamer’s biggets market in Europe. The deal follows similar, though less extensive, integrations with partners across Europe in which the streamer has shared exclusive content with broadcasters.
“This is about growth that is complimentary and additive to the expansion of our existing direct-to-consumer business here,” Holmes said. “This is a good deal for the millions of new customers who get to experience Disney+ for the first time and it’s great for existing customers who get to save £5.99 a month.
“And it’s really good news for our producers and for our advertising partners,” Holmes said, adding that it marked a shift for Disney+ towards a “wholesale business” in the UK versus its previous DTC approach.
Disney+ already has a deal with ITVX for shows to appear on each other services, which Broadcast understands involves no money changing hands. Holmes said other distribution partnerships were not affected with the Sky agreement.
Ahmad added: “Together with our unrivalled entertainment offering - spanning Sky Originals and exclusives, premium sports and standout content across the best global partners – this agreement reinforces our focus on making it easier than ever for customers to enjoy the very best entertainment, all in one place.”
Holmes said: “We’ve grown Disney+ in the UK into our largest market across Europe over the past six years, and Sky is the perfect partner for our next wave of growth in the UK and Ireland.
“This agreement gives millions of Sky customers a simple, seamless way to enjoy all the great stories that Disney+ offers, and opens up a substantial new audience for content creators and advertisers.”
Single subscription offer
The Disney+ integration comes alongside news that Sky is launching a single subscription that will provide access to Disney+, HBO Max, Netflix and Hayu, costing from £24 a month.
Existing customers will get access as part of their Sky TV subscription, with Disney+ Standard with Ads launching in March and HBO Max Basic with Ads rolled out from 26 March, as per a previous announcement. NBC Universal’s Hayu will be available to viewers from July, with a selection of shows available from March.
It means streaming apps and shows will sit alongside Sky originals, such as Saturday Night Live UK and Under Salt Marsh. Ahmad described the package as a “world-first” that aimed to allow viewers to “jump from show to show with ease.”
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