- Casino
- By State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- By State
- Slots
- Poker
- Sports
- Esports
Loeb Gives Up on Convincing Disney to Spin Off ESPN

Daniel Loeb will no longer try to convince Walt Disney to spin off ESPN. The investor recently staked $1 billion in the company and believed that spinning off ESPN would help Disney reduce its debt.
Loeb Changes His Mind
When Loeb proposed the spin-off, he argued that separating ESPN from its parent company would help it to focus on various sports betting opportunities. He pointed out that both ESPN’s customers and sports leagues would benefit from a focused management team that works to maintain the company’s leadership in sports distribution. Loeb noted that a spin-off doesn’t necessarily mean cutting all ties and pointed to an earlier agreement between eBay and PayPal.
Loeb’s call was eventually rejected and it seems like the investor has finally given up on the idea. Yesterday, Loeb tweeted that he will no longer push for ESPN to be separated from its parent company.
We have a better understanding of ESPN’s potential as a standalone business and another vertical for $DIS to reach a global audience to generate ad and subscriber revenues. We look forward to seeing Mr Pitaro execute on the growth and innovation plans, generating considerable synergies as part of The Walt Disney company.
Daniel Loeb statement
Loeb’s company, Third Point, will now closely follow chairman James Pitaro’s efforts to help ESPN grow as a part of Disney.
Disney Implied It Is Interested in Sports Betting
Despite Loeb’s arguments, ESPN will likely continue to be a part of the Disney family. Bob Chapek, chief executive of Disney, recently spoke about the sports betting opportunities concerning ESPN. Although he doesn’t plan to spin off ESPN as a separate franchise, he very much wants to explore the sports betting industry and see what it has to offer. In recent talks with the company’s shareholders, he promised that an important sports betting announcement is coming soon.
Chapek had previously noted that ESPN is a highly popular brand, that Disney prefers to invest in rather than sell. According to him, his team has a clear vision for the next century but doesn’t want to share its plans yet.
Some have speculated that Disney may invest in M&A activity and acquire a sports betting operator to fully focus on the industry. And sure enough, the company has the budget to do so without hurting its reserve a lot. Despite the speculations, Disney is yet to announce any such intentions.
Related Topics:
Yasmin is an accomplished iGaming and gaming journalist with over 10 years of experience writing for various publications. Her expertise spans the entire iGaming sector, traditional sports, and online poker. Yasmin's comprehensive knowledge of online gaming adds significant depth to our coverage, making her an invaluable asset to our team.
Previous Article
Business
September 12, 2022
Pixiu Gaming And Dan Marino Team Up, New Slots to Hit the Market in 2023
Next Article
Business
September 12, 2022
Bayern Munich vs Barcelona Champions League Odds, Time, and Prediction
Must Read
Business
August 29, 2025
CMA to Investigate Sportradar’s Merger with IMG Arena
Business
September 2, 2025
Pine Sports and SharpSports Merge to Reach Greater Heights
More Articles
Slots
September 4, 2025
Appease the Restless Gods in Play’n GO’s Rise of Olympus Extreme
Sports
September 4, 2025
Gambling Isn’t Bad If Done Responsibly, Says Leading US Trade Group
Lottery
September 4, 2025
Powerball Jackpot Hits $1.7B as Winning Remains Elusive
Business
September 4, 2025
Polymarket Cleared to Relaunch US Prediction Market
Lottery
September 3, 2025
Ohio Man Wins $500,000 from the Lottery in Time of Need
Legal
September 3, 2025
California Court Rejects High 5’s Motion in Sweepstakes Casino Lawsuit
Industry
September 3, 2025
IRS Cracks Down on Illegal Sports Gambling as Football Season Looms
Business
September 3, 2025
VIP Play Adds Gaming Industry Veteran Robert Rippee as Interim CMO