Report: Microsoft In Talks To Bring ESPN To Xbox Live

Microsoft wants to further extend its non-gaming content offerings on Xbox Live, and reports suggest the company is eying Disney-owned sports network ESPN as a potential next partner. According to a New York Times story, Microsoft is already in "in-depth talks" with the Walt Disney Company to bring live sports game feeds to Xbox 360 users. Such a move would be in line with ESPN's current internet strategy. The network already operates its own internet-based broadcast service, ESPN 360 (the overlap with the console name is coincidental). That service is paid for by internet service providers like Comcast and AT&T, then provided free to users, but The New York Times reports that it would be charged on a per-user basis if offered through Xbox Live. The Netflix streaming service available to Xbox Live users operates on the same principle, separately requiring users to maintain two paid subscriptions -- Xbox Live Gold and Netflix itself. Xbox Live general manager Marc Whitten said about half of the Xbox 360's worldwide install base of 39 million is connected to Xbox Live, and nearly half of that subgroup accesses general entertainment content, rather than just game content. That's a total current addressable market of slightly under 10 million users. With its ongoing aggressive partnerships with video providers, it's clear Microsoft plans to raise that proportion. As Whitten explained to the Times, "There's going to be a ton of experimentation around business models and rights... Our goal is, really, how can we get as much content as possible."