Disney CEO Bob Iger announced on Wednesday that the company will make the planned ESPN streaming services available through Disney+ for viewers. The said new service by Disney+ and ESPN will offer not only sports but also fantasy sports, e-commerce, and more exciting features to the subscribers. The announcement was made by Iger at Disney’s annual shareholder meeting on April 3, 2024.
All additional details regarding the forthcoming integration between Disney and ESPN are provided below.
What can Disney+ subscribers expect from the planned collaboration between the streaming service and cable sports network?
While speaking about the Disney and ESPN deal on Wednesday, Iger compared the future integration of the two entertainment providers to that of Disney+ and Hulu, which currently allow subscribers to watch all Hulu content on Disney+ and vice versa.
The upcoming collaboration between ESPN and Disney+ will give subscribers live access to multiple ESPN networks. Additionally, it will bring to the viewers all major ESPN deals, like those with the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL, as well as its 40 college sports championship deals.
The joint venture between the two content distributors is expected to launch later this year. As for how much it will cost the cord-cutters to make the switch from cable to streaming, last month, The Athletic, citing anonymous network executives, reported that ESPN plans to charge anywhere between $25 and $30 per month for the new and apparently upgraded services.
The same publication also reported that 71 million homes currently pay for ESPN cable networks. The numbers, however, have come down from 100 million, since 2011.
ESPN launches streaming services amid its traditional networks’ dropping numbers of cable customers — Will cord-cutters really be saving any money by making the switch?
The proposed ESPN streaming service is the latest attempt by a traditional cable network to keep its subscribers, even if they opt out of their established cable plans. It’s no news that more consumers than ever have ditched cable to enjoy a more exclusive and inclusive content offering on their streaming platforms. Still, recent data, according to Forbes, shows those who did so aren’t saving many dollars, if any.
The average cable bill in the United States is $3 per month, or $966 per year, according to The Independent. The same publication also reported survey results from the online platform Bango that showed Americans are paying more or less the same amount in subscription money to streamers like Netflix, Hulu, Max, HBO, and more.
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