ESPN launches standalone streaming service with full access for $30/month

[Shawn Knight]

TL;DR: Football season is just around the corner, and Disney is gearing up for the 2025-26 season with a brand new streaming service. Dubbed ESPN direct-to-consumer, the service will provide access to the sports company's full suite of networks and services at a somewhat reasonable monthly rate.

ESPN DTC (also referred to as ESPN Unlimited), launching August 21, grants access to ESPN's entire linear network including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, SECN, ACCN, and ESPN Deportes. Subscribers will also get access to ESPN on ABC, ESPN3, SECN+, ACCNX, and ESPN+, as well as a massive library of on-demand game replays and original programming.

Pricing starts at $29.99 per month (or $299.99 when paid annually) and scales up to $35.99 for a bundle that includes access to Disney+ and Hulu (with ads). Like linear television, the plan will include ads during live events and studio shows.

Disney will also continue to offer ESPN+ for $11.99 per month, or $119.99 a year, under new branding, ESPN Select. ESPN+ is the company's current over-the-top streaming service that airs a limited selection of sports content. Existing subscribers will automatically be converted to the new ESPN Select package.

In related news, ESPN also announced new licensing agreements with the NFL and WWE that will bring exclusive content to ESPN platforms.

For diehard sports fans, ESPN Unlimited seems like a bit of an answered prayer. It marks the first time Disney has offered all of ESPN's linear channels directly to consumers as a separate package without requiring a cable / satellite / full-fledged streaming package and at $29.99, it is the most affordable way to get access to ESPN's full pipeline of content.

Timing is also key as both college football and the National Football League are set to start their regular seasons in the coming weeks. Given the attractive offer, one has to wonder how traditional cable and modern over-the-top streaming services will respond. The hope, of course, is with aggressive price cuts, but we shall see.

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ESPN launches standalone streaming service with full access for $30/month

 

[brucek]

Good. I'd love to see all sports move to standalone programming packages. I'm tired of having price increases for basic cable / local networks justified by sport-related fees.

 

[RudyBob]

ESPN is not for me. I like some of the sports but none of the processed announcers. As an example, "Like we talked about." and my favorite "Wadda"

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Finally!

Sadly, for me, it comes after NIL and the portal destroyed college football so I no longer care.

 

[wiyosaya]

At that price, I could care less.

IF I had the time, I would just subscribe to NHL Center Ice. That would be enough to satisfy my sports interest.

 

[AnilD]

So ESPN just did what sports fans have been begging for since 2014: give us just sports without a $150 cable bundle. Took long enough, but $30 actually sounds… fair?