Disney's unusual Champions League debut

Disney+ launched coverage of the Women's Champions League with The Hangout, a pre-match show hosted by Alex Scott and Lianne Sanderson alongside content creators Tyra Mills and Alex Bailess, plus a golden retriever named Barley Boy.

Pasta games and bewilderment

The show featured a quiz about Italy, including guessing Italian names for football and identifying pasta types. A panel stared at farfalle on a screen normally used for team lineups and match incidents.

Immediate backlash from fans

Seasoned women's football supporters reacted with bewilderment and fury. Critics compared it to children's television and noted the men's Champions League would never be covered this way.

“Disney's new UWCL coverage is the closest we've seen to CBBC football (derogatory).”

Why replace analysis with gimmicks?

The criticism raises a key question: why did Disney swap former pros for content creators and tactical discussion for entertainment games? The choices seemed designed to appeal to younger audiences.

Women's football gets one show

Broadcaster Marva Kreel identified the core issue: men's football can have serious analysis on one channel and entertainment elsewhere, but women's football has limited slots, so one show tries to do everything.

“In women's football you get one show, and so they try to do it all.”

The younger audience puzzle

Disney likely wanted to attract younger viewers, a common broadcaster goal. But how to actually do that remains unclear, and most criticism came from people expecting traditional coverage.

Hosting live football is harder than it looks

Producing a live football show is technically more complex than a pre-match entertainment programme, but that doesn't mean mixing them together is the right approach.

Content creators bring followers, not answers

Mills and Bailess came across as personable and fun, and they bring social media followings. But how many followers actually convert to subscriptions remains an open question.

Scott caught in the middle again

Alex Scott finds herself perpetually in culture war debates about women's football coverage. She may not have suggested the dog or pasta games, but as host she had to deliver them with conviction.

People watch football for the game

Viewers tune in to watch the match, not comedy sketches. Broadcasters can make coverage compelling and entertaining without gimmicks that undermine the sport's credibility.

The dog didn't return

Barley Boy was absent from the second night of coverage. Disney appeared to shift toward a more traditional setup after the backlash, rather than doubling down on the original concept.

Respect the game, entertain smartly

You can't manufacture an audience, but you can show respect for the sport and deliver entertainment without animals or trivialising content. That's how viewers come back.