In his first public comments since Disney fired him as CEO in November 2022, Bob Chapek told CNBC he sees no reason for Disney-owned ESPN to add minority partners.
The company hasn't yet announced a deal to sell a stake in ESPN.
Disney owns 80% of ESPN and Hearst owns the other 20%, a structure that's been in place since 1996.
Bringing on a technology or telecommunications company such as Verizon or Apple could give ESPN broader distribution options by reaching larger customer bases.
That is something, as Bob [Iger] has said, that we are very much open to, but this is about partnership and accelerating the launch or the adoption of ESPN flagship."
Persons:
Bob Chapek, Chapek, Bob Iger, CNBC's David Faber, Disney, Iger, Disney's, Jimmy Pitaro, Pitaro, Bob
Organizations:
Disney, CNBC, ESPN, National Football League, National Basketball Association, Hearst, Verizon, Apple
Locations:
American