The playoffs for the Overwatch League begin tonight and they will be aired on Disney, ABC, and ESPN networks owing to a partnership between Blizzard Entertainment and Disney. It’s this partnership that brings the league’s competitions to the aforementioned networks. The multi-year deal between the two companies brings Overwatch League matches to ESPN, ESPN2, Disney XD, ABC, and streaming services.
This season’s playoffs and finals will air on Disney, ESPN, and ABC networks. The deal covers all of the next season as well.
“We’ve had an interest and have been watching pretty closely how the first year of the Overwatch League has been progressing, and we’re really excited to be a part of this,” said John Lasker, the VP of digital media programming at ESPN.
The networks will broadcast the competitions live and full replays will be broadcast as well. Highlight packages and additional content may also be available on ESPN’s digital platforms. Lasker mentions that many digital rights are included in this deal and that they plan to “take full advantage” of them.
The Overwatch League quarterfinals are due to begin tonight and they will air at 8PM Eastern on Disney XD and ESPN3. The finals are scheduled for July 27th and 28th. They will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.