After months of speculation, ESPN has officially announced the name and features of its new flagship streaming service — and it’s as simple as it gets. The platform will be called ESPN, embracing the iconic four-letter brand.
“There’s power and trust in our name,” said ESPN Chairman James Pitaro at a press event on Tuesday. The decision to name the platform ESPN underscores the network’s confidence in its legacy and recognition among sports fans.
The direct-to-consumer service is set to launch this fall and will offer two subscription tiers:
- Unlimited Plan – Priced at $29.99 per month (or $45.99 when bundled with Disney+ and Hulu), this tier provides full access to ESPN’s offerings. That includes ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes, and multiple college sports networks. Subscribers will get 47,000+ live events, studio shows, and more annually, according to Roz Durant, ESPN’s EVP of programming and acquisitions.
- Select Plan – At $11.99 per month, this more affordable tier includes all content currently available through the existing ESPN+ platform.
Disney executives have promoted the upcoming service as a more interactive, app-based experience designed to meet the needs of modern sports viewers. CEO Bob Iger previously called it “very user-friendly” and a major step forward in ESPN’s digital evolution.
The announcement comes as Disney faces shifting media consumption habits, with traditional TV losing ground due to widespread cord-cutting. However, live sports remain a rare bright spot in television, maintaining strong viewership.
To strengthen ESPN’s sports dominance, Disney recently secured continued NBA broadcasting rights and absorbed higher programming costs to air extra college football playoff and NFL games — investments that helped lift ESPN’s advertising revenue by 29% last quarter. Despite rising production expenses, ESPN’s revenue climbed to $4.53 billion, although operating income dipped 16%.
In a bid to ease the transition to streaming, Bob Iger confirmed that existing linear ESPN subscribers will automatically receive access to the new ESPN platform.
This reveal comes shortly after the collapse of Venu Sports, a joint streaming project between Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox. With Venu no longer moving forward — and legal disputes like Fubo’s lawsuit looming — Disney began focusing entirely on building its own standalone sports streaming powerhouse.
As the streaming landscape grows increasingly competitive, ESPN aims to remain a dominant force — not just on TV, but everywhere fans watch sports.
