Live Streaming events trends!

In recent times, there has been a notable increase in the number of live event carried out by streaming platforms in the Latin American region. A comparative analysis among the leading platforms revealed a 90% increase in the number of events transmitted between the first and second semesters of the year 2023. A classic strategy to anticipate cultural consumption trends that will reach this region is to look to the north. Based on a study analyzing the consumption habits of users on streaming platforms, BB Media found that 29% of users in UCAN consume live events within these platforms.

In line with the trend of streaming platforms in Latin America, Disney+ streamed globally a new live event on April 8th. This marks the first under the National Geographic brand in association with ABC News.

Considering the background of previously streamed events by The Walt Disney Company’s platform, such as the sports event ‘Toy Story Funday Football’ and the musical event ‘Got Back Tour’ featuring Paul McCartney, it was noteworthy that for the first time, the American platform has streamed an event of nature, a genre little explored in this format.

The co-production between two companies from Disney conglomerate is already a characteristic trait of the platform’s events. In the case of ‘Toy Story Funday Football’ On October 1st, 2023, it was produced through a strategic alliance between ESPN and the NFL.

The case of Disney can be compared to Netflix, as they are platforms that typically do not focus on live event streaming and seek to enter this market given the emerging trend in the region. The main difference between these platforms is that while Netflix has opted for more conventional live events such as the fight between influencer Jake Paul and former boxer Mike Tyson, Disney, on the other hand, aims to stand out by streaming non-traditional events, as seen with the two events streamed by the platform in the region.

Furthermore, in the short term, there will be a merger between Star+ and Disney+, and all Star+ content will become part of the Disney+ catalog, including live events. Taking this into account, we could consider these Disney streams as an experiment by the platform to acquaint users with live streaming within it.

Considering Star+ as the leading streaming platform in the live event market, the transition of its content to Disney+ will represent a significant change for users. While Disney has successfully established connections with major North American sports leagues in the United States and Canada, the brand has yet to implement such alliances in the regions south of the Equator. This was solidified with clear and concise examples, such as the aforementioned ‘Toy Story Funday Football’, which partnered with the NFL, or the case of the NBA and what happened during the pandemic. During that time, the remainder of the season took place within the “NBA Bubble” located inside the Disney parks.

Transforming Disney+ into a powerhouse for streaming music and sports events in Latin America will be quite a challenge, that will probably need a robust marketing and communication campaign.

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