ESPN says its direct-to-consumer streaming service will debut in September at $29.99 a month
By DAVID BAUDER Associated Press NEW YORK AP ESPN revealed Tuesday that its new all-encompassing streaming function will take on a familiar name ESPN and launch in September at an initial price of per month The operation will enable consumers to view all of ESPN s various networks including ones devoted to the SEC Big and ACC college leagues as well as content from the current ESPN streaming system which will be folded in to the new product The framework also promised enhancements to its ESPN app for mobile devices including using artificial intelligence to create a personalized SportsCenter for consumers that concentrates on news and highlights for their favorite teams sports and athletes Related Articles Stanley Tucci returns to Italy with National Geographic series and vows to go more in depth Gus Walz speaks for the first time about his viral DNC moment I was just being emotional KARE has hired former KSTP meteorologist Wren Clair General media outlets MPR and TPT brace for federal funding cuts Eagan native Eva Erickson locked in for guaranteed final four spot on Survivor September will represent a big moment for ESPN on par with the cable sports grid s launch in the introduction of ESPN in and launch of the ESPN com website two years later announced Jimmy Pitaro ESPN chairman The exact date it will become available will be released later It s also a pivotal growth 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 organization which was known informally as Flagship during the developmental stages Pitaro stated executives decided to keep it simple There s power in our name and there s trust in our name he announced All live events shown on ESPN networks along with sports shown on broadcast sister ABC-TV will be available through the streaming arrangement So will its other activities like SportsCenter Pardon the Interruption First Take The Pat McAfee Show NFL Live and original films ESPN broadcasted Tuesday that a former architecture personality Rich Eisen will bring his daily initiative to ESPN even as he continues to work at the NFL Organization ESPN s streaming operation will be available for per year The Disney-owned system explained it will also allow people to bundle ESPN along with Hulu and Disney for a month or a month for the first year Although consumers will be able to buy the more limited slate of services available now on ESPN for a month Pitaro declared ESPN decided against offering other lower-cost alternatives containing a few but not all of the company s various services It would be too confusing for consumers he noted Pitaro mentioned ESPN remains open to other acquisitions or partnerships to build offerings That includes potentially taking on selected 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 declared David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP Follow him at http x com dbauder and https bsky app profile dbauder bsky social
