We are in week two of the Women’s Champions League. For the first time, it’s all on Disney+ in the UK and other European countries. (Games used to be available for free on DAZN, with some on TNT Sports in the UK.) It’s too early to conclude much about the impact of the competition’s new streaming home. However, it is clear that things are being taken more seriously than they were before. For instance, high-profile pundits Alex Scott and Nedum Onouha will be leading coverage tonight, as holders Arsenal head to Lisbon, the scene of their historic victory in May, to take on Benfica.
This kind of thing simply did not happen at this early stage of the competition previously, especially not for games when the English team was abroad. There is also coverage of games involving no English side, even at the league phase. Again, unthinkable just a few months ago.
DAZN plays host to a number of women’s leagues. You can watch domestic matches from Germany, Italy and Spain on that platform. Losing the Champions Leagues does dent its ability to portray itself as the home of women’s football. On the other side, Disney clearly sees that investment as a route to growth. Danni Moore, senior analyst at Ampere Sports, explained:
Acquiring rights to a women’s competition gives Disney+ an opportunity to get involved in sports rights in Europe at a lower cost than they might from buying into men’s leagues. We estimate the total value of this deal to be around €6-8 million per season.
Women’s Champions League on Disney+ Works For All
Being on a generalist platform like Disney+, instead of a specialist one like DAZN, also provides an opportunity for potential new fans to stumble across European-level women’s football. “Women’s sport generally has a more family-friendly reputation, which aligns well with Disney’s family-oriented brand,” notes Moore.
Of course, there are business incentives at play too. In Q3, Ampere conducted its latest Media Consumer survey. This is a piece of research conducted twice a year, with 112,000 consumers from 30 markets surveyed. The results show that European Disney+ subscribers are more likely to be aged under 45. They also tend to have young children in their household. Furthermore, only 37% of UEFA Women’s Champions League followers in Europe are current Disney+ subscribers i.e. approaching two-thirds of fans interested in the competition currently do not have the service. “There is definitely scope for Disney+ to attract more subscribers who are fans of the competition,” says Moore. It is also worth nothing that the BBC will show seven games from the competition in the UK, again improving access.
If all goes to plan, younger fans will be brought into the women’s game, and more people might buy a Disney+ subscription. A win-win for all involved.