Is ESPN’s New Streaming Service Worth It?
ESPN will release its standalone streaming service this fall for $29.99 per month for one year. Is it worth the cost? We'll break it down.
ESPN will release its standalone streaming service this fall, with a price point of $29.99 per month for the first year. You can also purchase an annual plan for $299.
"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," ESPN's chairman, Jimmy Pitaro remarked.
"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."
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What does ESPN's new service include?
What's unique about ESPN's new service is it will include live programming for all of its channels, including the SEC Network and ESPN content airing on ABC. This is in stark contrast to the ESPN+ app, which wouldn't air live games streaming on ESPN, like Monday Night Football.
It means the new app, named simply ESPN, will air more live sports games. A lot more, like top college football and NFL games in the fall, golf tournaments (The Masters) and much more.
On top of this, ESPN will release an enhanced app. Included in it are advanced sports betting features, a personalized "SportsCenter" around your favorite teams and content and in-game statistical analysis. These features will be available to mobile and smart TV users.
Save with the Disney+, Hulu bundle
One of the best features of the new ESPN app is the ability to bundle it with Disney+.
The new bundle will include ad-supported plans from Disney+, Hulu and the new ESPN app for $35.99 per month. You can also do ad-free options of both for $44.99.
Is the new ESPN streaming plan a good deal?
It depends on your viewing preferences and budget. If you're a sports fan that wants access to some games but don't want to pay for a full suite of channels you won't use, then it's worth the look.
For $30, you're getting all of ESPN's live sports and programming content. That means NBA, college football, PGA Tour tournaments, soccer, tennis, WNBA and much more.
On the other side of the coin, the new app might not be the best deal for some sports fans.
For college football fans, you won't have access to games airing on NBC, CBS or Fox channels.
Meanwhile, for NFL fans, you're getting Monday Night Football every week, which is great. But you're also missing Sunday games airing on CBS, NBC and Fox. Therefore, you would still require another streaming service.
Moreover, the service wouldn't provide any value to other members in your home that don't watch sports. In essence, you're adding another cost you might not need if you have the right streaming service.
To demonstrate, Sling TV offers plans from $46 per month. And their Sling Orange plan includes three ESPN channels and a wealth of other entertainment content.
The bottom line
ESPN will release a new streaming app this fall. The service will broadcast all of ESPN's live content, giving sports fans a dedicated way to watch exclusive ESPN content.
What's more, you'll be able to bundle the service with Hulu and Disney+, giving you incredible value on the surface. However, if you're an avid sports fan, you might find the new streaming app limiting, especially when you can stream all of the live content on other live streaming apps, with many more channels.
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