ESPN officially debuted its new direct‑to‑consumer streaming platform Thursday morning. While the network has for decades been tethered to traditional television bundles, sports fans will, for the first time, be able access everything — ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACC Network, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+ and ACCNX — under one direct subscription (and a personalized app, also launched today).
The ambitious offering under the Unlimited tier is priced competitively at $29.99 per month, bringing an impressive 47,000 live events annually, plus extensive on‑demand features, studio staples like “SportsCenter,” “First Take,” “Pardon the Interruption,” “College GameDay” and premium originals like “30 for 30” to viewers’ fingertips.
This launch doesn’t feel accidental — it’s strategically scheduled to coincide with the high‑stakes kickoff of the college football and NFL seasons, the US Open, international and women’s college soccer, volleyball, field hockey and the oncoming WNBA and PLL playoffs. The NBA and NHL are also ramping up, while marquee UFC and WWE events loom large.
The new direct‑to‑consumer service will bear the singular brand “ESPN,” solidifying its identity in the streaming era. Alongside the Unlimited tier is the more basic Select plan priced at $11.99 per month, while subscribers eyeing a fuller suite can bundle Disney+ and Hulu with the ESPN Unlimited plan at launch for the same $29.99 rate for the first 12 months.
“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,” Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN Chairman, said in a statement upon the announcement of the new offering earlier this month. “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.”
To further incentivize early adopters, the enhanced ESPN App — now loaded with multiview options, integrated game statistics, curated betting info, fantasy tie‑ins, commerce features, and a personalized “SportsCenter For You” feed — will be available both to direct‑to‑consumer subscribers and traditional pay‑TV users alike. In short, ESPN is shifting from a distributor‑centric to a consumer‑centric model, offering familiar faces and flagship shows via a smarter, more engaged interface.
Perhaps most telling is the operational gambit echoing ESPN’s ambition: on August 23, just two days post-launch, fans will be able to stream five out‑of‑market NFL preseason games through the ESPN App, offering significant value for early subscribers. Games such as Ravens at Washington, Bills at Tampa Bay, and Chargers at San Francisco will go live — subject to blackout restrictions — yet available to those with the Unlimited subscription.
