ESPN+, the upcoming direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International in partnership with ESPN and featuring ESPN-branded content, will launch on April 12, it was announced today. The innovative new service, which will have a subscription price of $4.99, will offer fans a dynamic lineup of live sports, original content and an unmatched library of award-winning on-demand programming—including hundreds of live Major League Baseball, National Hockey League and Major League Soccer games; thousands of live college sports events; and highly anticipated boxing events, PGA TOUR events, Grand Slam tennis events, rugby, cricket and more.
At launch, ESPN+ will be seamlessly integrated into a completely redesigned and re-imagined ESPN App. Already the No. 1 sports app, the new ESPN App will be the premier, digital sports platform that fans can access on mobile and digital living room platforms. In addition to ESPN+, the new app will include scores, news and highlights; a library of sports audio content that includes live ESPN Radio streaming and a lineup of top sports podcasts; and “TV Everywhere” video that brings authenticated live streaming of ESPN’s eight U.S. networks and on-demand programs directly to fans via the user’s pay TV subscription. ESPN+ will also be available at ESPN.com.
“ESPN was built on a belief in innovation and the powerful connection between sports and a remarkable array of fans. That same belief is at the heart of ESPN+ and the new ESPN App,” James Pitaro, ESPN president and co-chair, Disney Media Networks, said. “With ESPN+, fans have access to thousands more live games, world-class original programs and on-demand sports content, all at a great price. They will get all of that as a part of a completely re-imagined, increasingly personalized ESPN App that provides easy, one-stop access to everything ESPN offers.”
The new ESPN App and ESPN+ showcase the culture of breakthrough innovation at ESPN and across The Walt Disney Company. ESPN+ is the first direct-to-consumer service offering from Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International, the multiplatform media, technology and distribution organization for high-quality content created by Disney’s Media Networks and Studio Entertainment group. A Disney-branded direct-to-consumer service, offering subscription-video-on-demand viewing of Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm movies, along with a host of exclusive content, will launch in late 2019. Both streaming services are powered by BAMTECH, a unit of Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International.
“The launch of ESPN+ marks the beginning of an exciting new era of innovation for our media businesses—one defined by an increasingly direct and personal relationship with consumers,” said Kevin Mayer, Chairman, Direct-to-Consumer and International, The Walt Disney Company. “This new product reflects our direct-to-consumer strategy focused on combining our beloved brands with our proprietary, industry-leading technology to give users unparalleled access to our world-class content.”
The ESPN+ programming lineup is built upon four key pillars of content: thousands of live sports events, high-quality original shows and films, exclusive studio programs and an unmatched on-demand library. Additional details about the array of content will be announced in the coming days and weeks.
“ESPN+ will connect fans directly to sports they love wherever and whenever they want,” said Michael Paull, President, BAMTECH Media. “Together, BAMTECH’s industry-leading direct-to-consumer video platform and capabilities combined with ESPN’s unmatched sports content will deliver fans an all-new streaming experience with exciting product features built for watching incredible live and on-demand sports.”