The latest I am hearing is that ESPN for their programing which now is part of several packages (sling, youtubetv, hulu) is going to go to an independent app which will require a subscription. This is what I am hearing. I have no idea of how much the subscription will be but it will be similar to subscription price range that ESPN charges for ESPN+. ESPN which is owned by Disney is going through a lot of changes especially with Ron Desantis making a lot of changes governing Disney. So for a lot of people who choose to stay home and watch football on ESPN in the future will have to start paying a monthly or yearly subscription. I know with a lot of people on fixed incomes this is not good news for them and I understand very well especially with the cost of everything going up everyday. ESPN is going the same route as the NFL who has several packages to watch their football games. I guess with all the money ESPN is paying these major conferences like the SEC and the BIG10 they are going to have to generate more income. Hopefully it will not be to where regular sports fans cannot afford to pay the subscription will have to listen to their favorite teams on the radio.
ESPN Going to a single App in the future
- Thread starter Spurman54
- Start date
If that's what they do...... Pi$$ on 'em. I won't pay for an additional app/service just to watch ESPN. I'll go outside and be productive. The older I get, the less important sports are to me, and the less patience I have for this sort of rigmarole. If it comes to pass, I hope it bites them in the wallet!
And one last thing.... get off my lawn.
And one last thing.... get off my lawn.
Where did you come across this information?
I only subscribe to YouTubeTV during college football season anyway, so it's not much of a hit for me.
Saw this earlier this morning. From Thestreet:
ESPN has begun concretizing its plans to offer its main channel on a streaming platform.
ESPN has teased at the idea of committing to a direct-to-consumer service, but have never shown active signs -- until now. The worldwide leader in sports and its parent company, Disney , are now beginning the shift with a project that has the internal code name ‘Flagship,’ according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
No timeline has been given for when the shift will officially begin. The company will also reportedly continue to offer its TV channel.
ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro hinted earlier in the month that it was only a matter of time before the company was going to make the commitment to streaming.
“We’re going to get to a point where we take our entire network, our flagship programming, and make it available direct to consumer,” Pitaro told Bloomberg. “That’s a ‘when,’ not an ‘if’….We’re only going to do it when it makes sense for our business and for our bottom line.”
ESPN’s move could have major implications for the already declining cable television industry. ESPN and its channels have been one of the main drivers of the cable bundle and providers know it with the Disney brand reportedly receiving around $9.42 per subscriber from cable providers while other channels average about 49 cents, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Live sports have also continued to be one of the biggest reasons why consumers have maintained their cable subscriptions. However, many have chosen to move to streamers who are investing billions in sports rights believing it would drive consumers behind the paywall.
Amazon Prime’s $1 billion per year acquisition of the NFL’s Thursday Night Football is a prime example, with the company bringing in 11.3 million viewers per broadcast despite being behind the paywall according to Nielsen and Amazon. The NFL also helped the company achieve some record subscriber growth marks because of TNF.
ESPN entered the streaming world in 2018 when it launched ESPN+. Despite garnering over 25 million subscribers already, the service has yet to offer access to the main ESPN channels which air some of the most popular games such as NFL Monday Night Football and the NBA Playoffs.
ESPN has begun concretizing its plans to offer its main channel on a streaming platform.
ESPN has teased at the idea of committing to a direct-to-consumer service, but have never shown active signs -- until now. The worldwide leader in sports and its parent company, Disney , are now beginning the shift with a project that has the internal code name ‘Flagship,’ according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
No timeline has been given for when the shift will officially begin. The company will also reportedly continue to offer its TV channel.
ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro hinted earlier in the month that it was only a matter of time before the company was going to make the commitment to streaming.
“We’re going to get to a point where we take our entire network, our flagship programming, and make it available direct to consumer,” Pitaro told Bloomberg. “That’s a ‘when,’ not an ‘if’….We’re only going to do it when it makes sense for our business and for our bottom line.”
ESPN’s move could have major implications for the already declining cable television industry. ESPN and its channels have been one of the main drivers of the cable bundle and providers know it with the Disney brand reportedly receiving around $9.42 per subscriber from cable providers while other channels average about 49 cents, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Live sports have also continued to be one of the biggest reasons why consumers have maintained their cable subscriptions. However, many have chosen to move to streamers who are investing billions in sports rights believing it would drive consumers behind the paywall.
Amazon Prime’s $1 billion per year acquisition of the NFL’s Thursday Night Football is a prime example, with the company bringing in 11.3 million viewers per broadcast despite being behind the paywall according to Nielsen and Amazon. The NFL also helped the company achieve some record subscriber growth marks because of TNF.
ESPN entered the streaming world in 2018 when it launched ESPN+. Despite garnering over 25 million subscribers already, the service has yet to offer access to the main ESPN channels which air some of the most popular games such as NFL Monday Night Football and the NBA Playoffs.
So based on this statement "The company will also reportedly continue to offer its TV channel" ESPN will still be available as part of cable packages but this will give consumers the option of JUST subscribing to ESPN if they don't want to pay for an entire cable package?
From what I am hearing in the future when ESPN makes this decision it will be an indpendent app not part of a cable package. I hope I am wrong but this is what I am seeing.
My guess is the channel remaining on cable packages will consist of less desirable product. Going back to the early days of ping pong and
water skiing squirrels. The main drivers on the streaming will be the big dollar sports drivers like CFB.
I already pay for ESPN+, my only such subscription. I do so only to watch my grandson's football games I can't otherwise see. I'll have to assess this when it happens. If it's in a similar price range and all-inclusive, I'll probably pay it. Otherwise, nada.If that's what they do...... Pi$$ on 'em. I won't pay for an additional app/service just to watch ESPN. I'll go outside and be productive. The older I get, the less important sports are to me, and the less patience I have for this sort of rigmarole. If it comes to pass, I hope it bites them in the wallet!
And one last thing.... get off my lawn.
I understand your viewpoint. Just being the messenger. I have no dog in the fight. With the way the NBA players conduct themselves, the NIL entitelement and the social issues that are going on in the world I understand. Look I know you have a nice lawn and I never intended to step on your lawn. Hopefully I am wrong about this and maybe ESPN will still be part of a subscription package. Which is what I want. I have not watched a NBA, NFL game in the last 10 years. How the athletes conduct themselves to me like you I have other things I can do.If that's what they do...... Pi$$ on 'em. I won't pay for an additional app/service just to watch ESPN. I'll go outside and be productive. The older I get, the less important sports are to me, and the less patience I have for this sort of rigmarole. If it comes to pass, I hope it bites them in the wallet!
And one last thing.... get off my lawn.
it will be much more than ESPN+ IMO....they have to recoup the millions they have lost recently....I'm starting the guessing bid at $29.99/month
I'll have to assess it in real time - based on a lot of things.
I started out listening to games on the radio and I can go back to that.My Sirius subscription gets me all the games anyway.
I really miss those water skiing squirrels - and the spear catching games!