Disney+ and ESPN leaders used their D23 2026 panel to lay out how the two platforms are becoming more personal, more local, and more interactive for fans watching around the world. Executives from both sides, along with content creators, walked through three big shifts: short-form vertical video, a major expansion of local original series, and a combined push to make sports feel more personalized wherever fans are watching.
Verts Is Becoming a Bigger Part of the Disney+ and ESPN Experience
Vertical video has quietly become one of the fastest-growing habits on both platforms through a feature called Verts. On the ESPN App, Verts has driven over 1.5 billion minutes of watch time from more than 24 million users since it launched in August 2025. On Disney+, roughly 40% of mobile users have already used Verts since it rolled out in March, with viewers watching more clips per session and using their watchlists more often as a result.
Erin Teague, EVP of Product for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, made the case that short-form and long-form content are not competing with each other. “There will never be a replacement for that long-form original content,” she said, framing Verts instead as a companion to the shows and live games fans already watch. Disney is looking at ways to grow Verts further, including creator communities, original short-form series, and podcasts built around it.
If you have been following our D23 2026 hub for the rest of the Disney Experiences showcase news, this is the piece that connects the dots between how Disney is building content and how it expects people to actually watch it.
Disney+ Is About to Triple Its Local Original Series
The panel’s second big reveal was about international content. Disney plans to roughly triple the number of local original series on Disney+ over the next three years, leaning into stories made by local storytellers in the regions they are set in rather than exporting American-made content overseas.
Eric Schrier, President of DTC International Originals, Strategic Programming and Emerging Media, said the goal is to give audiences shows that reflect their own culture. “What we’re really looking to do is tell stories for local audiences,” he explained, adding that some of those regional stories have started finding audiences well beyond their home markets. The strategy leans on Hulu’s general entertainment library alongside Disney’s growing slate of local productions.
ESPN and Disney+ Are Teaming Up on a Bigger, More Personal Sports Push
The sports half of the panel focused on how ESPN and Disney+ are combining forces. That includes live streaming, AI-driven personalization, and interactive tools like SportsCenter For You, StreamCenter, and Multiview, all aimed at reaching fans across mobile, web, and TV. Formula E is joining the lineup in December, and select college football games along with College GameDay simulcasts are headed to Disney+ in the U.S.
Disney+ and ESPN Just Revealed How Your Streaming Feed Is About to Change
Freddy Rolón, Head of Global Sports and Talent Office at ESPN, pointed to the platform’s international rollout as proof the strategy is working. “ESPN on Disney+ launched in Latin America about two years ago,” he said, noting that Australia, EMEA, and select APAC markets have followed since.
None of this is just executive talk. If Verts keeps expanding, expect more short clips and creator content showing up in your Disney+ and ESPN App feeds. If the local originals push holds, expect Disney+ libraries to look noticeably different depending on where in the world you are watching from. And if the sports personalization tools keep rolling out, watching a game on Disney+ or ESPN+ should start to feel a lot more tailored to you specifically, not just a generic broadcast.
