Bob Iger Is a Poker Player and ESPN Online Is His Ace in the Hole
- Debut of internet service coincides with fee talks with cable
- What airs online may hinge on how negotiations turn out
Disney Chairman and CEO Robert Iger discusses the decision to stop selling movies to Netflix and begin offering ESPN sports programming and family films directly to consumers via two new streaming services. He speaks with David Westin on “Bloomberg Technology.” (Source: Bloomberg)
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Bold talk aside, Walt Disney Co.’s Bob Iger isn’t about to completely free ESPN fans from the cable bundle or the billions they pay annually for the world’s most popular sports channel.
Disney’s chief executive officer sounded like the best friend to anyone who’s ever groused about a cable company when he announced plans for two direct-to-consumer video services, one from ESPN and another offering family fare like the upcoming film “Toy Story 4.”