ESPN in talks with Apple for expanded TV access

New York: Walt Disney Co's sports network ESPN would consider including its WatchESPN application on Apple Inc's television device as long as users authenticate they are pay-TV customers, network executive Sean Bratches said.

ESPN subscribers with AppleTV would gain access to the network's internet service on their sets. The sports network, which announced programming for the TV season starting in September, said a deal isn't imminent.

"We're a platform-agnostic content company," Bratches, the network's executive vice-president of affiliate and advertising sales, said in an interview.

"To the extent that in the future there's an opportunity with Apple to authenticate through the pay-TV food chain as we're doing with Microsoft, that's something that we will participate in."

The most-watched US sports network is making more programming available online and on mobile devices to reach viewers away from their TVs.

ESPN already provides the app to subscribers with Microsoft Corp's Xbox video-game console as part of some pay-TV plans, including those from Verizon Communications Inc's FiOS and Comcast Corp.