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Disney uses D23 to preview how Disney+ and ESPN will lean into personalization, vertical video and local originals
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Business/The Apex Times/Aug 17, 1:09 PM EDT

Disney uses D23 to preview how Disney+ and ESPN will lean into personalization, vertical video and local originals

At the D23 streaming showcase, Disney executives described plans to expand interactive viewing features, grow “Verts” short-form engagement, and accelerate Disney+ local-series production for audiences outside the U.S.

4 min readEditor-approved Apex article

Disney put a spotlight on the next phase of streaming and sports media at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, laying out how Disney+ and ESPN are evolving toward more personalized, interactive entertainment and content strategies designed for the way younger viewers consume media across multiple devices.

The company said leaders from Disney+ and ESPN gathered to share how they are reshaping the user experience and programming to meet fans “wherever and however they watch.” Disney also framed storytelling beyond traditional long-form formats, pairing creator-led narratives and locally tailored releases with sports experiences that can be expanded through analysis and supplementary content.

A central theme was vertical video. Disney’s executives pointed to Verts, a vertical, short-form experience designed to surface clips and content in a format optimized for mobile viewing. On the ESPN App, Disney said Verts has become the primary driver of short-form video consumption since its August 2025 launch, citing more than 24 million total users and over 1.5 billion minutes of time spent. On Disney+, Disney said roughly 40% of mobile users have already interacted with Verts, with engagement increasing in average minutes per visitor, clips per session, and watchlist interactions since launch in March.

Disney’s product leadership tied the strategy to a broader idea that different formats can complement rather than replace one another. Erin Teague, EVP of Product for Disney Entertainment & ESPN, said Disney does not view short-form elements as a substitute for long-form original content or live games, but as a supplement that adds commentary and analysis. She described the core challenge as merging experiences so fans can get what they want quickly, in “a split second.”

Disney also suggested it is looking beyond using vertical video purely as discovery. The company said the team is exploring ways to evolve Verts to create new engagement opportunities, including creator communities, original storytelling, microcontent, and podcasts, among other formats. The goal, as presented at D23, is to turn short-form viewing into a durable relationship with stories and creators rather than a one-time scroll.

International programming is another key plank. Disney said its local originals are the engine of streaming growth globally and that it plans to roughly triple the number of local original series on Disney+ over the next three years. Executives described a model that pairs internationally recognized brands and franchises with culturally relevant stories built by local storytellers and supported by regional partnerships.

Eric Schrier, President of DTC International Originals, Strategic Programming & Emerging Media, said Disney’s intent is to “tell stories for local audiences and be hyper-local,” adding that the company expects local-for-local productions to travel back across markets. He characterized locally rooted narratives as something that can express regional culture and sensibility, while still fitting within broader Disney franchises.

On the sports side, Disney said its approach combines ESPN’s authority in sports with Disney+’s reach, using live streaming, AI-powered personalization, interactive viewing tools, and a global rights portfolio to connect with younger and international fans. The company pointed to features such as SportsCenter For You, StreamCenter, and Multiview, which are designed to deliver sports content across mobile, web, and living-room devices. Disney also tied the plan to the “next phase” of ESPN’s direct-to-consumer strategy in the U.S. and to expanding ESPN-branded and sports content into the wider Disney ecosystem through Disney+ and ESPN+.

Disney’s showcase also included examples of international expansion for ESPN within Disney’s platforms. Freddy Rolón, Head of Global Sports & Talent Office at ESPN, said ESPN on Disney+ launched in Latin America about two years ago and later expanded to Australia, and that Disney has since launched in EMEA and select markets in APAC. He said the effort is attractive because it brings a new audience and extends existing reach.

In the background, Disney said it is also exploring additional sports initiatives that include select college football games and College GameDay simulcasts in the U.S., as well as Formula E beginning in December. The company did not provide additional contract details or specific rights terms in the D23 discussion, and it offered limited disclosure on how much of these plans will be funded through existing budgets versus incremental investment.

For viewers, the next question is how quickly Disney can translate these feature rollouts into sustained retention and viewing time, particularly as short-form consumption accelerates. Watch for the next stages of Verts expansion on Disney+ and the ESPN App, as well as further guidance on how Disney+ local originals will scale in specific regions and genres over the coming three years. Investors and analysts will likely focus on whether the company’s personalization and interactive features improve engagement without eroding the long-form franchise value that Disney says remains irreplaceable.

Why It Matters

  • Disney’s emphasis on vertical, interactive formats indicates that streaming competition is increasingly about engagement mechanics, not just catalog size.
  • The reported Verts engagement metrics suggest Disney is testing whether short-form can deepen relationships with larger franchises and watchlists.
  • Tripling local originals could reshape Disney+ economics internationally by accelerating region-specific content, potentially reducing reliance on the same set of global titles.
  • Expanding ESPN sports content across Disney+ and ESPN+ indicates a strategy to keep sports audiences inside the company’s broader ecosystem, supported by personalization and device-agnostic viewing features.

Sources

Key Facts

  • Disney described how Disney+ and ESPN are evolving toward more personalized, interactive experiences designed for multi-screen viewing.
  • Disney said Verts, its vertical short-form experience, drove short-form consumption on the ESPN App with more than 24 million total users and over 1.5 billion minutes of time since its August 2025 launch.
  • On Disney+, Disney said roughly 40% of mobile users have interacted with Verts since it launched in March, with engagement rising in minutes per visitor, clips per session, and watchlist interactions.
  • Disney said it plans to roughly triple the number of local original series on Disney+ over the next three years and emphasized a “hyper-local” approach supported by regional partnerships.
  • Disney said it is using AI-powered personalization, interactive viewing, and a global rights portfolio to connect sports fans, pointing to features including SportsCenter For You, StreamCenter, and Multiview.
  • ESPN on Disney+ has expanded from Latin America to Australia and later to EMEA and select APAC markets, according to ESPN’s global leadership.

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