The Walt Disney Company and Twitter are partnering to create live content and advertising opportunities based on Disney’s entire portfolio for Twitter’s platform.
Twitter and ESPN will announce specific live shows in development during their NewFront presentations on Monday, April 30 and on Wednesday, May 2, respectively.
“Bringing together the best brands in sports, news and entertainment is something only The Walt Disney Company can deliver,” said Justin Connolly, executive vice president of affiliate sales and marketing at Disney and ESPN Media Networks, in a statement. “Through this new agreement, participants from across the company will have the opportunity to create experiences unique to Twitter that will extend their brands in meaningful ways. This includes compelling live content across our entire portfolio that can reach and appeal to all types of audiences at scale on their platform.”
“Now more than ever, social platforms are putting a major focus on and investment in sports-related content,” said Travis Howe, senior vice president of platform ad sales strategy and global operations at ESPN, in a statement. “It is the new primary vehicle driving digital experiences to grow and engage audiences. The insights to be gained will be invaluable as we continue to serve the right content and the right ads to the right people. We look forward to announcing specific shows in development with Twitter this week at our respective NewFront presentations.”
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“To innovate at this scale with The Walt Disney Company is a huge step forward in expanding the depth and breadth of video content we offer to leaned in, engaged consumers on Twitter,” said Twitter Global Vice President of Revenue and Content Partnerships Matthew Derella in a statement. “The Twitter sports community is the digital roar of the crowd, so there is no better place to start than with ESPN to deliver credible, premium content to enrich that conversation.”
During NewFronts, Viacom Digital Studios also announced a partnership with Twitter as well as Snapchat. Viacom will again offer red carpet coverage of BET and MTV’s award shows and events on Twitter and launch new shows on Twitter based on networks including MTV, BET and Comedy Central.