NEW YORK – ESPN announced on Tuesday the launch of a comprehensive streaming service simply named ESPN, set to debut in September with a starting price of $29.99 per month.
This service allows viewers access to all ESPN networks, including those focusing on the SEC, Big 10, and ACC college sports, in addition to incorporating content from the existing ESPN+ streaming platform into this new offering.
The network is also enhancing its ESPN app for mobile users by utilizing artificial intelligence to deliver a personalized “SportsCenter.” This feature will tailor news and highlights to each user’s preferred teams, sports, and athletes.
September will represent a big moment for ESPN on par with the cable sports network’s launch in 1979, the introduction of ESPN2 in 1993 and launch of the ESPN.com website two years later, said Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN chairman. The exact date it will become available will be announced later.
It’s also a pivotal development in the accelerating industry shift from television to streaming. ESPN and its sister channels will remain available on cable and satellite systems.
After kicking around several ideas for what to call the service, which was known informally as “Flagship” during the developmental stages, Pitaro said executives decided to keep it simple. “There’s power in our name and there’s trust in our name,” he said.
All live events shown on ESPN networks, along with sports shown on broadcast sister ABC-TV, will be available through the streaming service.
So will its other programming, like “SportsCenter”, “Pardon the Interruption,” “First Take,” “The Pat McAfee Show,” “NFL Live” and original films. ESPN announced Tuesday that a former network personality, Rich Eisen, will bring his daily program to ESPN even as he continues to work at the NFL Network.
ESPN’s streaming service will be available for $299.99 per year. The Disney-owned network said it will also allow people to bundle ESPN along with Hulu and Disney+ for $35.99 a month — or $29.99 a month for the first year.
Although consumers will be able to buy the more limited slate of programming available now on ESPN+ for $11.99 a month, Pitaro said ESPN decided against offering other lower-cost alternatives containing some, but not all, of the company’s various services. It would be too confusing for consumers, he said.
Pitaro said ESPN remains open to other acquisitions or partnerships to build programming. That includes potentially taking on some struggling regional sports networks that show baseball, even though ESPN decided earlier this year to opt out of the final three years of its contract to show Major League Baseball at the end of this season.
“When the league is ready to have a conversation, we are ready to listen,” Pitaro said.
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David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social
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