US EditionThe CW Inks Streaming Partnerships With ESPN and The Roku Channel
ESPN Unlimited subscribers will get live CW sports, including more than 800 hours a year, while The CW keeps free over-the-air broadcasts.
- On Wednesday, The CW Network and ESPN announced a partnership to stream all CW Sports live events on the ESPN app, launching in Summer 2026.
- CW President Brad Schwartz said the network shifted focus from young-audience dramas like "Gossip Girl" toward sports, requiring a streaming solution amid fragmentation across venues.
- Separately, The CW Network and Roku unveiled a partnership launching in Fall 2026 to bring entertainment programming to The Roku Channel for next-day streaming, including 800 hours of library content.
- Nexstar Media Group executive Dan Lanzano said the deals increase "accessibility for our consumers, and incremental reach for our advertisers" while preserving The CW's ad sales control.
- The partnerships reflect broader industry bundling efforts as consumers navigate subscription outlets, with executives noting 28% of CW viewers who watch primetime during the week now also watch sports on weekends.
14 Articles
14 Articles
CW Network strikes content distribution pacts with ESPN, Roku
(Photo via Wikimedia Commons) The CW Network has formed a pair of distribution partnerships with the Walt Disney Company’s ESPN and streaming platform Roku for its shows and live sports events, the network announced on Wednesday. Starting this week, subscribers of ESPN’s streaming plan ESPN Unlimited will be able to watch more than 800 hours of live content from the CW Network through its CW Sports brand, including premium live events from NASCA…
ESPN is Adding Live Sports From The CW Network Streaming In Its App
The CW Network and ESPN announced a major partnership that positions the ESPN App as the exclusive streaming destination for all CW Sports live events. This collaboration merges premium broadcast and digital platforms into a unified experience for sports fans, expanding access across traditional television and modern streaming services. Under the agreement, every CW Sports […] The post ESPN is Adding Live Sports From The CW Network Streaming In …
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