Disney’s new vision for ESPN could include partial ownership of the NBA, NFL

Disney wants to transition ESPN from linear TV to streaming — and the NBA and NFL could be the partners that will help the company do just that. according to cnbcDisney CEO Bob Iger and ESPN leader Jimmy Pitaro held talks about bringing both leagues into the sports network as minority investors.

In an interview with CNBC last week, Iger hinted at Disney selling some linear TV properties like ABC, but sports content on ESPN still ranks “very, very high” with the potential to reach millions of people. However, when asked about ESPN getting into streaming, Iger mentioned having “strategic partners” that could help accomplish that transition away from cable.

“We will be open-minded to looking for strategic partners that can help us with distribution or content,” Iger said. “I won’t go into more detail about it, but we are generally excited about sports as a media property.”

If sports leagues decide to take a stake in ESPN, CNBC says, it could ruffle the feathers of some of Disney’s rivals such as NBCUniversal and Fox, as it could result in teams working more closely with ESPN rather than other networks. It could also mean less money for the NFL and NBA, which often make lucrative deals with multiple media partners during the season.