The news: ESPN is preparing for one of its most significant shifts yet: a direct-to-consumer platform that puts all of its programming—live events, studio shows, and premium broadcasts—under one roof. Set to launch in fall 2025, the new service marks a full departure from the network’s historically cautious streaming efforts.

• ESPN+ launched in 2018 with niche offerings like UFC fights and mid-major college sports, deliberately omitting major properties like Monday Night Football and NBA games.
• That limited approach eventually stalled. As of early 2025, ESPN+ had plateaued at 24.1 million subscribers and posted a $65 million quarterly loss.
• The new ESPN streaming product will consolidate all ESPN programming, correcting ESPN+’s fragmentation and enabling full digital access.

Bigger, better, faster: ESPN’s service will offer two tiers—ESPN Select, similar to today’s ESPN+, and ESPN Unlimited, which unlocks all ESPN networks and live ABC sports.

• The $29.99/month base option can also be bundled with Hulu and Disney+ for $35.99/month with ads. A launch window deal will drop the bundle to $29.99/month for the first year.
• Beyond content consolidation, the new platform will include digital-only perks like live stats, betting tools, fantasy integrations, and ecommerce features.
• Disney CEO Bob Iger emphasized the unified user experience across all Disney-owned platforms, saying the services will be “fully integrated” for a seamless feel.

Sign of the times: ESPN isn’t the only legacy player recalibrating. Fox will debut its own subscription service, Fox One, this fall—bundling content from its broadcast network, cable channels, and live sports like the NFL.

• Fox One targets cord-cutters but intentionally avoids cannibalizing cable subscribers, who will receive access for free. Pricing hasn’t been revealed but is expected to match or exceed cable rates.
• The platform will coexist with existing offerings like Tubi, whose ad revenues keep rising, and Fox Nation, the latter of which will also be available as part of the Fox One bundle.
• Earlier plans to co-launch a joint sports streamer with Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery were dropped following legal complications.

Our take: ESPN’s reinvention is long overdue, and Fox’s entry reinforces a broader push among media incumbents to modernize without sacrificing their legacy revenue.

Whether audiences are willing to pay near-cable rates for these bundled, premium experiences remains an open question—but for Disney and Fox, the direction is now unmistakable: more content, more integration, and a direct line to digital-first viewers.