Fans fume as dog joins panel for ‘gimmicky’ coverage of major game
Disney+ has copped flak for a technical difficulty in the first Women’s Champions League match streamed, which was interrupted by an “unintended” advert in the middle of play.
During this week’s coverage of Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over HB Koge, play was interrupted by an unprompted three-minute ad break in the second half.
The Hangout’s panel guests caused a stir online. Disney+
While no goals were missed, the blunder sparked immediate outrage among fans.
Disney+ confirmed the interruption was an unintended technical fault and acknowledged viewer frustration, stating it is taking steps to prevent a recurrence.
The streaming service’s new analysis show, The Hangout, also drew heavy fire for its “gimmicky” tone.
Hosted by Alex Scott alongside former England forward Lianne Sanderson and content creators Alex Bailess and Tyra Mills, the broadcast leaned into entertainment rather than football analysis.
Segments included a random quiz about Italy and pasta, as well as a guest appearance by Barley Boy - an Instagram-famous golden retriever dog with no connection to football.
“Why does women’s football coverage always have to be so gimmicky? It’s the Champions League, not Blue Peter,” wrote Flo Lloyd-Hughes on X, a broadcaster for the Cutback.
"Put some pundits who know about the teams in a studio, make sure the tech works and have a decent bit of time for build-up and analysis to contextualise everything."
The random ad break was just one of several technical issues.
Players waiting to be interviewed by the studio were unable to hear questions from the couch and Italian reporter Roberto Perrone - in Milan for Inter Milan’s match against Swedish side Hacken - also encountered audio problems.
The broadcast also suffered from ongoing synchronisation problems, camera shots unexpectedly obstructed by studio cushions and a malfunctioning rotating studio floor.
This blunder from Disney+ has reignited ongoing debates regarding the legitimacy and respect afforded to women’s football coverage.
In November 2025, the decision to have social media influencer GK Barry conduct the Women’s League Cup quarter-final and semi-final draw caused controversy over the prevalence of influencers being handed jobs over traditional football pundits.
In the same month, Sky Sports UK was pushed to scrap its all-new female-focused TikTok channel, Halo, after just three days after its launch following criticism that its sports coverage was patronising and sexist.
In 2025, Disney+ secured a five-year deal to exclusively broadcast the women’s football competition across Europe and in Australia, replacing the previous rights holders, DAZN.
The platform will be under pressure to smooth out its operations as coverage continues on Wednesday with Chelsea hosting Austria Wien.
