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ESPN is prepping its stream team — and it’s almost game time.
The sports network announced on Tuesday that their direct-to-consumer service — simply branded as “ESPN” — is set to launch in the early fall. According to a press release, the exact launch date will be revealed this summer.
ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro shared in a statement that they “are providing everything ESPN has to offer directly to fans and all in one place.”
“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,” he added. “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.”
As for pricing, subscribers can select from two different plans: an unlimited package that costs $29.99/month ($299.99 annually), or a select plan that costs $11.99/month ($119.99 annually). Both plans will offer the option to bundle with Disney+ and Hulu.
The unlimited plan grants access to every ESPN linear network, meaning live events and studio shows like SportsCenter, The Pat McAfee Show, and College GameDay.
Those who are already subscribed to ESPN+ will immediately become subscribers to ESPN’s new streaming service, depending on their subscription level. According to the release, “standalone ESPN+ subscribers get the ESPN select plan, and Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ bundle subscribers get the ESPN select bundle.”
This news arrives on the heels of FOX announcing their own direct-to-consumer service, FOX One, which is also slated for a fall launch and will offer access to their sports content.
