Kim Do-yeong of the Kia Tigers reacts after hitting an RBI double against the Doosan Bears during the two team’s KBO League baseball game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, April 17. Newsis

They said the appeal of live sports for streaming platforms is rooted in the nature of the content itself. Unlike dramas or films, which viewers tend to watch once before moving on to another content, sports events can continuously garner viewers with new games and competitions held on a regular basis. This gives fans a recurring reason to keep their subscriptions active.

In Korea, the shift is already showing clear results.Tving, a streaming platform of local content giant CJ ENM, has been streaming the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League, a professional baseball league here, since 2024.

The platform's KBO viewership this year is up 30 percent compared to the same period last year, with female viewers in their 20s emerging as a fast-growing segment.

Members of the T1 pose with the KeSPA Cup trophy after defeating the Hanwha Life Esports during a League of Legends game at Sangam SOOP Colosseum in Seoul, Dec. 14, 2025. The match was exclusively streamed by Disney+. Courtesy of Korea e-Sports Association

Disney+ has taken a different route into the sports streaming space, with a focus on esports.

The platform served as the official broadcaster of the 2025 League of Legends KeSPA Cup, organized by the Korea e-Sports Association, streaming matches live while also producing original interview and behind-the-scenes content.

Disney+ will also broadcast the Esports Championships Asia 2026, to be held in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, from Friday to Sunday.

The tournament, which began as a Korea-China-Japan competition in 2021 before expanding to a broader Asian format last year, features seven countries including Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Mongolia this year. A total of 150 national team athletes are competing, the largest roster in the event's history.

Kim Young-man, chairman of the Korea e-Sports Association, said the partnership reflects the growing global value of Korean esports content.

Source: Korea Times News