How Disney Is Capitalizing on an Early NBA Game and First-Ever Hulu Simulcast As Part of This Year’s Company-Wide Oscars Synergy (EXCLUSIVE)

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Each year, The Walt Disney Company brings together its various divisions to boost awareness and viewership for the Oscars on ABC. For this coming Sunday’s 97th ceremony, they are introducing a live stream option on Hulu for the first time. To highlight this event, Disney is showcasing the Oscars prominently on Hulu’s main page, while Hulu itself is displaying current and past Oscar-nominated movies on its homepage, Movies section, and an exclusive Oscars hub.

This year, the company has formed other partnerships, particularly during ESPN’s NBA broadcast on ABC, which preceded the Oscars telecast. Additionally, ESPN’s Oscars Pick ‘Em game resumed, and there are new Oscar-themed photo opportunities at Disney parks. As always, Disney-owned channels such as FX, Freeform, and Nat Geo have scheduled program marathons centered around the Academy Awards.

Each year, partners within The Walt Disney Company go above and beyond in their efforts to celebrate ‘The Oscars.’ Sometimes it seems like there’s nothing left to do to make things bigger, but we always find a way, said Erin Weir, EVP of marketing for ABC and Disney Entertainment Television. This includes unique photo opportunities within Disney theme parks, movie marathons on our various cable networks, heavy social media support, and exclusive content from different divisions of the company. I’m continually impressed by the backing we receive from our brands, stations, as well as our nominated films – past, present, and even Mickey Mouse himself. For the first time ever, ‘The Oscars’ will be streaming live on Hulu in addition to ABC, allowing us to ensure that movie enthusiasts everywhere know that the night of cinema’s biggest event is happening. Additionally, with an NBA game airing on ABC earlier that day, we have a fantastic chance to keep the anticipation rising from the opening tipoff right up until the final envelope is unveiled.

Here is a roundup of some of this year’s synergies:

ESPN

In addition to advertising “NBA Sundays on ABC” to encourage viewers to tune in, ESPN’s social media platforms will debut on the Oscars red carpet for the first time. They’ll be sharing posts like “Best Athletic Performance in a Film” and “Best Sports Movie.” Moreover, ESPN is reviving its free Oscars Pick’em game on ESPN.com and ABC.com, as well as through the ESPN App and the ESPN Fantasy App. Users can make their predictions in 23 categories before March 3rd; the winners with the highest scores will receive a prize.

Disney Experiences

From February 16th to March 3rd, you’ll find photo opportunities in both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World. These include taking pictures in Disney California Adventure Park’s Hollywood Land and capturing a 3D snapshot at Disney Springs Market Stalls in Walt Disney World.

By using the “Oscars” search or the “#Oscars2025” hashtag on TikTok, you can discover posts linked to the Oscars from Disney’s social media handles. This centralized area (or “hub”) will showcase clips from the awards ceremony posted by @Oscars, along with other Oscar-related content such as red carpet footage, talent interviews, press coverage, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and additional content about the nominees. Additionally, you’ll find commentary, analyses about the Oscars race/nominations, fan/creator content about the nominated films, posts about previously nominated films/winners, current nominations like Inside Out 2, information about presenting talent, and other related content from TWDC (The Walt Disney Company).

As a die-hard fan of Disney’s magical world, I can hardly contain my excitement about the upcoming custom promo! This spectacular production stars none other than Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and our beloved Goofy, all coming together to celebrate the art of movie making. This delightful extravaganza will grace screens on various Disney platforms such as the Disney Channel, Disney+ kids programming, Disney’s social media handles, and even in-room reels at Disney Parks & Resorts. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and get ready to witness a celebration of cinema that only Disney can deliver!

During performances of “The Lion King” and “Aladdin” by Disney on Broadway, Playbill inserts will advertise the Oscars taking place between February 20th and March 2nd. In addition, a custom promotional video will be shown on screens in the El Capitan theater lobby from February 17th to March 2nd. Lastly, Disney Music Group’s “Disney At The Awards” playlist will showcase hit Disney songs that have been awarded or nominated between February 24th and March 2nd.

Stations/Syndication/ABC News:

Starting Wednesday, February 26th, ABC News’ “Good Morning America” (GMA) will initiate its Oscar coverage. Lara Spencer will be in Los Angeles for the start, and on the 28th, international correspondent James Longman and further GMA coverage on “GMA3: What You Need to Know” will join in. Additionally, on Friday, co-anchor Robin Roberts will host the primetime special “Countdown to the Oscars with Robin Roberts: A Special Edition of “20/20.”

A Special Edition of “20/20.

The “On The Red Carpet: And The Nominees Are…” special, led by George Pennacchio, aired from February 8 to February 14. Following this was the “On The Red Carpet: Countdown to The Oscars” special, which ran from February 15 to February 28. “On The Red Carpet at The Oscars Preview” is scheduled for March 1, and the “On The Red Carpet at the Oscars” pre-show will air on March 2 at 3:30 p.m. ET. Pennacchio will host this event alongside ABC News anchors Linsey Davis and Whit Johnson, supermodel Roshumba Williams, KABC’s Leslie Lopez, and fashion expert Joe Zee.

On Monday, March 3rd, following the Oscars the next day, “Live with Kelly and Mark” will resume its live broadcast at 9 a.m. Eastern Time from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Steve Aoki and Lil John will be providing the music, while Jerry O’Connell reports from the red carpet and Nikki Glaser offers her insights on the winners and losers of the awards show.

Disney+

On the Disney+ homepage, you’ll find their “Oscars Collection,” featuring this year’s nominated films along with previous winners and nominees.

Cable Networks

On February 28 through March 2, FX and FXM will host an “Oscar Weekend,” while FXX will reprise its “The Simpsons” Oscar marathon on March 1 and 2. Meanwhile, Freeform and Nat Geo will mark the Oscars with a weekend dedicated to Academy Award-winning and nominated films from March 1 to March 2. Lastly, the Disney Channel will air Oscar-nominated movies from February 28 to March 2.

The 97th Academy Awards, led by Conan O’Brien, will be broadcast live this coming Sunday, March 2nd, starting at 7 p.m. Eastern Time or 4 p.m. Pacific Time, on both ABC and Hulu. The event takes place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California (Ovation Hollywood).

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2025-02-28 01:48