Leading sports brand ESPN is launching a new direct-to-consumer streaming platform under the flagship ESPN brand. Here's a look at what this means for Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS) and the streaming sector.
What Happened: ESPN announced this week that its long-awaited DTC streaming platform will debut in the fall with a $29.99 per month price point.
"We are providing everything ESPN has to offer directly to fans and all in one place," ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said.
Pitaro said ESPN is the most "trusted, loved and recognized name in sports."
"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."
Pitaro said the app will be "the ultimate sports destination."
ESPN announced that users can buy an annual subscription for $299 per year, saving on the monthly cost.
ESPN+, the company's already existing streaming platform, will continue to be offered for $11.99 per month or $119 per year. There is also bundling options with other Disney streaming platforms, including Disney+ and Hulu.
Consumers who subscribe to the new streaming app will get access to seven ESPN domestic linear networks, along with ESPN on ABC and other streaming options. The company said consumers will get access to over 47,000 live events a year, along with on-demand replays, studio shows and original programming.
Additional details about the service, including a launch date, will be announced this summer.
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Why It's Important: The new streaming platform could be one of the final nails in the coffin for cable television, with live sports being one of the top reasons consumers have cable over streaming platforms.
Users will now be able to secure the ESPN and ESPN family of channels on their own outside of cable, a move that LightShed Partners analyst Rich Greenfield said could help Disney.
Greenfield predicted earlier this year that Disney would have two million ESPN DTC subscribers by the end of 2025.
"We feel even more confident after ESPN revealed their pricing and packaging yesterday," Greenfield said.
The analyst said the goal of launching the ESPN app direct-to-consumer could be to get existing ESPN subscribers to watch via the app instead of with a multichannel video programming distributor, or MVPD.
"If ESPN can drive MVPD and vMVPD subscribers to use the ESPN app instead of watching on Comcast, DirecTV, or YouTube TV, they will finally have a direct relationship with their viewers."
Greenfield said this would give Disney more options when it comes to targeting advertising and engaging with fans in other ways, such as through fantasy sports, merchandise and sports betting.
"We believe the best way to judge ESPN's DTC effort is not by DTC subscribers at year-end 2025 or 2026, but rather how many consumers are using the ESPN app in a year to watch ESPN and how much time spent occurs on the ESPN app."
The analyst said getting a "meaningful portion" to watch through the app would be a "big win for Disney."
"If not, the ESPN DTC launch will be a relatively minor event that helps offset the continued decline in multichannel video universe subscribers."
Greenfield highlighted in the recent note that Disney CEO Bob Iger previously called the launch of the ESPN DTC app the biggest development for the sports company since landing Monday Night Football rights in 2005.
DIS Price Action: Disney stock was up 1.35% to $112.94 at market close on Wednesday versus a 52-week trading range of $80.10 to $118.63. Disney stock is up 1.9% year-to-date in 2025 and up 7.25% over the past year.
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