Sports television juggernaut ESPN had a lot to be proud of in 2024, and a major milestone is still ahead for 2025, the network’s chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a note to employees on Monday.
The network improved upon its position as the worldwide leader in sports by launching a dedicated ESPN Plus content tile within the Walt Disney Company’s flagship streaming product, Disney Plus, and welcomed new talent like Nick Saban, Jason Kelce, Bill Belichick and Shams Charania to the company during the year, Pitaro noted.
Pitaro also highlighted the super job that Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter and Chiney Ogwumike did in covering women’s college basketball for ESPN, and noted that ESPN intends to build upon its momentum in covering the sport at large by bringing TNT’s “Inside the NBA” to the network through a licensing deal with Warner Bros Discovery, which will take effect next year.
Heading into 2025, ESPN is looking forward to the launch of a forthcoming direct-to-consumer streaming service that will bring its multiplex cable channels beyond the traditional pay TV bundle for the first time.
Jimmy Pitaro’s full note to ESPN employees is below:
Our Results in 2024
As we close out the year, I’m incredibly excited to share our Year in Review for 2024, which includes a sampling of achievements in what has been one of the most remarkable years in ESPN’s 45-year history.
Earlier this month, we launched ESPN on Disney Plus, punctuating an important year in our streaming strategy by providing access to sports content alongside general entertainment, and kids and family programming, all within a single app.
Also in 2024, we set the foundation for dynamic programming content for years to come with several significant agreements, including the NBA/WNBA, College Football Playoff, NCAA (including 21 women’s and 19 men’s championships) and the USTA. Most recently, in collaboration with TNT Sports and the NBA, we announced a deal to present the iconic Inside the NBA studio show starting with the 2025-2026 season.
We welcomed Nick Saban, Jason Kelce, Bill Belichick and Shams Charania to our platforms this year, all noted as impactful signings. We also saw Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter and Chiney Ogwumike hailed throughout the season for their fantastic women’s college basketball coverage.
Speaking of women’s hoops, it was a monumental year for our coverage of college basketball and the WNBA with records seemingly shattered on a weekly basis. On top of that, the debut of our SEC on ABC college football package led the industry in its first season, while our storytelling was both captivating and powerful.
We also continued to innovate, with “The Simpsons Funday Football” alternate Monday Night Football telecast on ESPN Plus and Disney Plus and the first real-time animated NBA game “Dunk the Halls,” with the New York Knicks hosting the San Antonio Spurs at noon ET coming up Christmas Day on ESPN 2, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus as the latest example.
Combine all that with strong results from our emerging ESPN BET business, and record-setting, industry-leading engagement within Digital, Social and Studio Shows such as College GameDay (having its most-watched season ever), SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt, First Take, Pardon the Interruption, Get Up and The Pat McAfee Show, and we are well positioned for continued growth and success.
I cannot say enough about the total team effort by everyone at ESPN in making 2024 such a historic year. Our creativity and unrelenting service to sports fans will continue in 2025 with the early fall launch of our flagship direct-to-consumer product.
We thank you for your continued interest in ESPN and look forward to further sharing our strategy and progress in the months ahead. As I like to say, I like our hand.
Happy Holidays and best wishes for a phenomenal 2025!
ESPN is operated as a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company and Hearst Corporation, with Disney holding a majority stake in the brand. ESPN Plus is owned by Disney.
