Wayne Rooney to co-host Stick to United on Disney+
Wayne Rooney will co-host a new Manchester United show, Stick to United, with influencer Mark Goldbridge this season. The series forms part of a multimillion-pound Disney+ distribution deal with Gary Neville's Overlap network, which will also put Stick to Football on the streamer as rival platforms fight for football fans.
Key Takeaways
- Rooney and Mark Goldbridge will front Stick to United with Wayne Rooney for 50 episodes this season.
- Disney+ will also carry 40 episodes of Stick to Football under a multimillion-pound Overlap deal.
- Shows stay on YouTube; Disney+ gets six Stick to Football episodes exclusive for a limited time first.
- The deal answers Netflix's Rest is Football pact with Gary Lineker's Goalhanger outfit.
- Neville's Overlap bought Goldbridge's channels in April for an undisclosed seven-figure sum.
What is Stick to United with Wayne Rooney?
According to BBC Sport, Rooney will front Stick to United with Wayne Rooney alongside Goldbridge, whose real name is Brent di Cesare. Goldbridge has more than 3.8 million subscribers across The United Stand and That's Football.
Former United captain Neville bought those YouTube channels earlier this year, folding them into The Overlap after an April purchase for an undisclosed seven-figure fee. Rooney, already a regular on Stick to Football, is joining the Overlap stable on a permanent basis after guest spots. He will also keep The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC platforms and his Match of the Day punditry.
How does the Disney+ Overlap deal work?
The Guardian reports Disney+ secured rights to Overlap podcast content in a multimillion-pound pact that includes title sponsorship. This season it will broadcast 50 Stick to United episodes and 40 Stick to Football shows featuring Neville, Jamie Carragher, Jill Scott, Ian Wright and Roy Keane.
Both programmes remain on YouTube. Disney+ will commission six extra Stick to Football episodes exclusive to subscribers for a limited period before YouTube release. The Overlap keeps the intellectual property while Disney+ pays millions to brand and distribute the shows. Neville said the partnership "expands our reach without compromising our identity."
Disney+ has also bought rights to a new Rooney family documentary, The Real Rooneys. Media and rights moves like this are covered on our Fintech & Crypto Alerts hub.
Why does this matter against Lineker and Netflix?
Disney+'s Overlap investment follows Netflix's deal with Lineker's Goalhanger for Rest is Football, featuring Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, for the next two seasons. The Sun frames it as a multi-million streaming war between Stick to Football and Rest is Football after both grew through the World Cup cycle.
Rest is Football claimed more than seven million monthly streams last season. The Overlap says it draws 38 million monthly YouTube views after 2.2 billion views across platforms in 2025. Global bought a majority stake in The Overlap last January. For fans, the Rooney-Goldbridge United show is the clearest new product in Disney's football content push.