Disney+ Secures Rights to Gary Neville's Podcast Brand The Overlap
London, Thursday, 13 August 2026.
Disney+ has signed a deal with Gary Neville’s digital media network, acquiring rights to popular sports podcasts to expand unscripted programming and counter Netflix’s growing presence in football content.
Disney+ Secures Rights to Gary Neville’s Podcast Brand The Overlap
Disney+ has officially signed a content deal with Gary Neville’s digital media network, The Overlap, marking a significant expansion into unscripted sports programming. Announced on 13 August 2026, the agreement grants the streaming service rights to air 40 episodes of “Stick to Football” and 50 episodes of a new series titled “Stick to United with Wayne Rooney” for the 2026/27 season [1][3]. This strategic move serves as a direct competitive response to Netflix’s recent acquisition of rights to Gary Lineker’s Goalhanger production company, highlighting the intensifying rivalry for sports podcast intellectual property among major streaming platforms [2][3].
Strategic Expansion into Sports Media
The partnership underscores Disney+’s intent to leverage established, low-cost sports podcast IP to drive user engagement without incurring the high costs associated with live broadcasting rights. Sean Doyle, VP of Unscripted at Disney+ EMEA, stated that adding both shows broadens their local original content offering as they expand into new sports formats [1][4]. The deal maintains The Overlap’s existing distribution on YouTube while adding Disney+ as a global streaming partner, ensuring the community can continue to access content through original channels while reaching Disney+’s international audience [3][5].
Content Schedule and Distribution
Production schedules are set for immediate rollout, with “Stick to United with Wayne Rooney” premiering weekly starting 18 August 2026, followed by “Stick to Football” streaming weekly in the UK and Ireland beginning 20 August 2026 [1][4]. In total, 90 episodes are commissioned for the season across both shows, with twenty episodes of “Stick to Football” designated as exclusive to Disney+ for a limited time [1][3]. Additionally, Disney+ has commissioned six exclusive extended-length episodes of “Stick to United” featuring special guests, further differentiating the streaming offering from the free-to-air YouTube versions [1][4].
Market Implications and Viewer Reach
The Overlap reported 38 million monthly YouTube views in 2026, demonstrating significant existing audience engagement prior to this deal [2]. This partnership follows Global’s acquisition of a majority stake in The Overlap in January 2026, which integrated the brand into Global Studios alongside other major media properties [3][4]. Gary Neville described the agreement as a unique partnership that expands reach without compromising the brand’s identity, noting that the community will continue to enjoy content exactly as they always have through YouTube [3][5].