After two years of speculation and internal development, Disney’s sports media giant is finally putting a name on its much-anticipated all-access streaming service. According to sources cited by CNBC’s Alex Sherman, the new service will be called ESPN.
ESPN’s forthcoming flagship streaming product will bear the same name as the iconic brand itself, a deliberate move to cut through the noise of an increasingly convoluted streaming landscape. ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro reportedly championed the straightforward naming strategy to make the new service instantly recognizable and easy to find for fans.
Set to launch this fall, ESPN (the app) will be a full-throttle streaming destination, offering everything currently available across the ESPN ecosystem. That includes live games from all of ESPN’s cable networks, content from ESPN on ABC, fantasy sports tools, studio programming, exclusive documentaries, and even features tied to sports betting.
Earlier this week, while speaking with investors during an earnings call, Disney boss Bob Iger said the name of the app and pricing would be announced next week.
“First of all, to the last point, if you are a subscriber of linear ESPN, you will automatically get what I know we’ve been referring to as ESPN flagship. By the way, it will not be called that. And next week, Jimmy Pitaro plans to reveal not only the name, but will also talk about our pricing strategy. But the plan would be to basically be somewhat agnostic from a subscriber perspective, so that we can still do our best to preserve the multichannel ecosystem, but at the same time, obviously want to grow our DTC business,” Iger said during the call.
This service is not to be confused with ESPN+, which will continue to exist as a lower-cost, limited-content alternative. While ESPN+ subscribers currently pay $11.99 per month—and can bundle it with Disney+ and Hulu for $16.99—the new ESPN app is expected to come in at a steeper price point: either $25 or $30 per month, with pricing and bundle options officially announced next week.
Sources told CNBC that the decision to go with the same name was to keep things simple. As more streaming options flood the market, consumers are juggling bundles, tiers, and services, often under different names, but offering overlapping content. ESPN executives opted to streamline the experience by leaning into the brand recognition they’ve built over the past four decades. For those who subscribe to pay-TV, the digital exclusives and seamless authentication of the new ESPN app will offer a new way to watch ESPN.
Although the name isn’t new, ESPN is betting on brand power, ease of access, and die-hard sports fandom to lead the charge. As the World Wide Leader in Sports shifts to direct-to-consumer in a big way, the future of sports and streaming has arrived. ESPN has previously stated that the app would launch this fall, but Pitaro is expected to share more details next week.
Credit: CNBC