Walt Disney on Tuesday reinforced its line-up of video offerings for Apple iPod users with near-instant replays of the current “Bowl” series of American football games and news from its ABC television network.

Programmes from the group’s ESPN sports division, feature animation and family entertainment arms will be made available in the coming weeks, the company said in a statement.

The move underscores high expectations of video-on-the-go and on-demand. It also marks a fresh challenge from the company that made a landmark deal with Apple last October when it became the first to offer some of its popular TV series in the online iTunes Music Store.

General Electric’s NBC Universal made a similar arrangement last month with a wider range of programmes from the NBC network, and is expected to be joined by Viacom’s CBS, News Corporation’s Fox and Warner Bros’ WB.

Disney’s latest move makes it the first content provider to offer sports.

Disney said condensed versions of Monday’s college football games, the Fiesta Bowl and Sugar Bowl, were due to be available on Wednesday at $1.99 each. Today’s Rose Bowl – the national title game pitting the University of Texas against the University of Southern California – will go on sale on Thursday.

The company added that video podcasts from its ABC news division, supported by advertising, would be available free of charge.

The expansion follows the launch of Mobile ESPN, a branded cell phone equipped to deliver news, video, commentary and scores along with its telephone service.

Anne Sweeney, co-head of the group’s media networks arm said the aim was to build on the success of the initial iTunes offerings.