This week, MiC has enlisted execs from the Canadian media industry to offer their insights on the big programming and advertising announcements coming out of the 2025 Upfronts in New York. Today, Rob Metzger, managing director of OMG23, reports on Disney’s presentation.
Disney’s 2024 Upfront was a celebration of the company’s expansive content portfolio, but this year’s spotlight was squarely on Disney+, reinforcing the platform as the centerpiece of Disney’s content ecosystem.
The presentation kicked off with CEO Bob Iger and concluded with a trademark comedic performance by Jimmy Kimmel, bookending a star-studded lineup of talent. Notable appearances included Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, who promoted the upcoming season of Only Murders in the Building. Other key figures included The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White.
On the sports front, ESPN made waves with major announcements. While ESPN reaffirmed its role as the exclusive home of the NBA Finals, NBA Draft Lottery, and NBA Draft through 2035, the biggest headline was the unveiling of its direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming service, simply titled ESPN. This new platform will offer fans a unified access point for all ESPN content and networks.
Star athletes and sports personalities lit up the stage, including Stephen A. Smith, Patrick Mahomes, and Peyton and Eli Manning, who delivered an awkwardly entertaining musical number titled “A Touch of Manning Magic.” A nostalgic moment came when Knicks legends Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston and John Starks surprised the crowd with an appearance.
ESPN also announced a new docuseries, Kingdom, chronicling the rise of the Kansas City Chiefs; Vibe Check, a women-led sports studio show launching in June 2025, further cementing ESPN’s commitment to women’s sports; and continued partnerships with Monday Night Football, NBA and WNBA.
Rita Ferro, president of advertising, introduced two new tools designed to enhance advertiser partnerships, including Disney Experience Composer, which optimizes and enhances creative assets, and Disney Compass, which streamlines first-party data access, insights, and vendor integration. In addition, with the DTC launch of ESPN, advertisers can now purchase across all ESPN platforms.
Disney+ emerged as the core of the network’s content strategy, showcasing variety and depth. While Marvel Television played a smaller role compared to previous years, the audience was given teasers of upcoming titles including Wonder Man, Neighborhood Spider-Man season two, Vision and Daredevil season two.
On FX, the spotlight shone on two new Ryan Murphy-produced series. The first being The Beauty, starring Ashton Kutcher and the second being All’s Fair, a legal drama centred on an all-women’s firm handling high-profile divorces – featuring Kim Kardashian – whose teaser generated buzz.
Kimmel’s sharp-witted finale, in which he jokingly offered advertisers naming rights to his soon-to-be-born grandchild, was the perfect cap to an evening filled with star power, strategic innovation and entertainment.
In summary, Disney’s 2025 upfronts made it clear: while Marvel and Lucasfilm remain cornerstones, the focus has shifted to the breadth and diversity of Disney+ content, aimed at every kind of viewer with any kind of interest at any age. All’s Fair and Chad Powers emerged as standout titles based on audience reception, proving once again that no one tells a story quite like Disney.
