Which feature should DIRECTV add? In-app content from Disney+
Which feature should DIRECTV add? In-app content from Disney+
YouTube TV won the right to add ESPN streaming content to its app from Disney. It’s time for DIRECTV to make a similar move.
DIRECTV is no stranger to innovation. The company was the first among live TV streaming services to begin offering genre-based channel packages in 2025, a move that has led competitors like Fubo and YouTube TV to follow its lead. DIRECTV also allows customers to watch channel packages through its app via streaming, instead of forcing them to continue using a satellite dish.
If DIRECTV wants to keep moving forward, I think it’s high time for the service to take full advantage of its partnership with Disney. The company’s 2024 carriage agreement with Disney allowed DIRECTV to add Disney streaming services like Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited. Those streamers are now found alongside both Genre Packs and Signature plans offered by DIRECTV, but I believe DIRECTV should go one step further and ask Disney for the ability to import Disney+ content to the DIRECTV app.
Under this arrangement, DIRECTV would be able to stream Disney+ originals like the new Marvel series “Wonder Man” without forcing customers to switch to a new app. This would make the viewing experience much more customer-friendly and would give DIRECTV a way to stand out from competing streaming services. Hulu originals could easily be added to the mix as well, giving DIRECTV a large catalog of popular on-demand titles from Disney to offer its customers.
There is precedent for such a request if DIRECTV were to ask Disney’s permission. In its latest carriage deal with YouTube TV, Disney acceded to a demand that YouTube TV be allowed to integrate live sports content from ESPN Unlimited directly into the YouTube TV app. This will allow viewers to enjoy more live sports on YouTube TV, instead of opening the ESPN app to watch these events, as most other viewers will have to do.
A protracted carriage battle played out before YouTube TV settled a new agreement with Disney, and such in-app integrations may have been a major sticking point. If true, it could be hard for DIRECTV to convince Disney to send entertainment content from Disney+ and Hulu to its own app.
But there is an argument to be made that making Disney+ originals available in more places could lead to better engagement with the streamer. Watching a new Disney+ or Hulu title on the DIRECTV app could help convince fans to explore the Disney+ app further once they finish it, leading to more viewership for both platforms.
The time and expense it would take to move on-demand entertainment content from Disney to the DIRECTV app may be substantial, but I think it’s well worth the effort for both sides. If DIRECTV wants to maximize the value of its partnership with Disney, it’s time for it to add on-demand streaming content from Disney+ and Hulu to its own app.
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DIRECTV
DIRECTV is one of The Streamable’s top choices for the best live TV streaming service overall in 2026, especially for users who want the most channels or want to watch the most live sports. With an unbeatable lineup of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels, three main signature packages, an unlimited DVR, and 20 simultaneous streams at home, DIRECTV remains a premier choice for any cord-cutter.
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Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”
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Hulu
Hulu is a video streaming service that gives access to thousands of full seasons of exclusive series, hit movies, kids shows, and Hulu Originals like “Only Murders in the Building,” and “The Handmaid's Tale.”
