CW partners with ESPN, Roku to stream sports and shows
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- CW will stream its 800 hours of annual sports on the ESPN app, expanding the network’s reach beyond its own ad‑supported platform.
- Roku will host CW entertainment titles the day after their linear premiere, adding fresh content to the free Roku Channel.
- Brad Schwartz says the partnership avoids launching a new DTC product, opting for revenue‑sharing with ESPN and Roku instead.
- Nexstar now holds an 81% stake in CW, driving the shift toward live sports and the need for broader streaming distribution.
Why it matters: The CW’s ad‑supported app gains an extra 800 hours of sports on ESPN, boosting its ad inventory and pulling viewers away from rival DTC services, while ESPN adds fresh content to retain subscribers.
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