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ABC affiliates aren't happy with Disney's plan for multiple Super Bowl options

Disney is facing backlash from ABC station owners regarding the multi-platform broadcast strategy for Super Bowl LXI. The network intends to stream the game across various services including ESPN, NFL Network, and Disney+, a move that local affiliates fear could slash their advertising revenue by as much as 35 percent.

Station leaders argue that such fragmentation dilutes the value of the broadcast and are currently negotiating these concerns through the ABC Television Affiliates Association Board of Governors. While Disney maintains that they value their partnership with local stations and have managed similar distribution issues in the past, the affiliates remain frustrated by the lack of financial acknowledgement for the potential losses.

Despite these tensions, the communal nature of the Super Bowl may limit the actual impact of these alternative viewing options on total broadcast viewership.

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