Tension Escalating Between ABC Affiliates and Disney Over Super Bowl Plans

The Super Bowl is one of the biggest events on television, drawing more than 100 million viewers every year. This season, Super Bowl LXI will air on Sunday, Feb. 9, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. ET. Disney plans to broadcast the game on ABC, ESPN, and several other platforms all at the same time. But that plan is causing a dispute between Disney and the local TV stations that carry ABC in cities across the country.

These local stations are called ABC affiliates. They earn money by selling ads to local businesses during big events like the Super Bowl. When more people watch the game on other platforms instead of regular TV, these stations sell fewer ads and earn less money. One station group CEO told CNBC the expanded coverage could cut their Super Bowl ad revenue by as much as 35 percent compared to last year.

In addition to ABC and ESPN, viewers will be able to watch the game on Disney+, ESPN2, ESPNU, and NFL Network. ESPN2 will have the popular 'ManningCast,' while ESPNU will feature a broadcast hosted by Pat McAfee. There will even be a special Star Wars-themed version of the game airing on Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney+, and the ESPN App. That gives fans more choices than ever before.

One major concern for local stations is that Disney+ does not have the technology to show ads aimed at viewers in specific cities or regions. Other streaming services, like those used by Fox and NBC, can do this. Without that tool, local stations miss out on ad money that could come from streaming viewers. A station executive told CNBC, 'I don't have a problem with what Disney is doing -- I have a problem that there's no acknowledgement that we're losing money.'

Disney has pushed back against these concerns. A company spokesperson said that spreading the game across more platforms gives fans better options for watching. Disney also pointed out that other networks, including Fox with Tubi and NBC with Peacock, have done something similar in past years. The company said ABC affiliates are still valued partners and that Disney has worked through similar issues with affiliate leaders before.

Right now, the ABC affiliate board — a group that represents local ABC stations — is discussing the problem with Disney. It is still not clear whether Disney will pay the stations back for any lost ad revenue. For viewers at home, the good news is simple: there will be more ways than ever to watch the big game, on whichever screen or platform they prefer.