ESPN Unveils Details of New D2C Platform

ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer streaming service arrives in the U.S. this fall, with the unlimited package available for $29.99 a month.

The platform will just be called ESPN. Subs can opt for a stand-alone ESPN subscription or a bundle with Disney+ and Hulu. ESPN will continue to be available through traditional MVPDs and DMVPDs.

“We are providing everything ESPN has to offer directly to fans and all in one place,” said Jimmy Pitaro, the chairman of ESPN. “As we thought about the name, we kept returning to the fact that, across every generation, ESPN is the most trusted, loved and recognized name in sports, and that we should keep it simple and double down on the power of ESPN. Our straightforward approach to name and pricing will help fans cut through the clutter and provide them compelling options to access all our content within the enhanced ESPN App. It will be the ultimate sports destination for personalized experiences and features, and, on top of that, fans will be able to choose to bundle ESPN with the industry-leading Disney+ and Hulu streaming services.”

The unlimited plan delivers all of ESPN’s linear networks, in addition to ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX, covering 47,000 live events each year, on-demand replays, studio shows, original programming and more. The select plan, with access to all content available on ESPN+, including more than 32,000 live sports events annually, studio shows, on-demand replays, original content and more, is available for $11.99 a month. Existing ESPN+ subscribers will automatically become subscribers to ESPN’s new service; standalone ESPN+ subscribers get the ESPN select plan, and Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ bundle subscribers get the ESPN select bundle.