Everything you need to know

Because when you think of Disney, you think of tennis, shōguns and superheroes.
Photo: Disney+

Most sporting events typically involve two teams, but on Disney+ the streamer is bringing a third: ESPN+.

Following Hulu’s successful integration into the Disney+ launch, the sports streaming service will finally be available as part of the company’s “one-app experience” starting this week. It’s a change that Disney sports boss Brian Marshall hopes will make Disney+ “stickier” – one. Alisa Bowen, President of Disney+, puts it this way: “Network television has a long and successful history of launching new shows around major sporting events. This is certainly an opportunity for us. More importantly, it’s about repositioning Disney+ as something with content for everyone, content for the whole family, and the ability to build that shared viewing on top of sports and general entertainment is a really important part of that evolution. ”

With Disney+’s new “multi-genre experience” set to change your streaming habits, you may have questions. We’ll break down what we’ve learned about what you can expect from ESPN+ and Disney+ in the future.

Pretty much. ESPN+’s return to the Disney streamer should be a little easier to navigate if you have experience with Hulu on Disney+. It’s essentially the same process: Consumers who subscribe to both (or all three) streamers can access all of ESPN+ and Disney+ offerings through one platform, Disney+. But even if you don’t have ESPN+ yet, Disney+ is giving you the chance to try out a significant portion of its programming starting this week. Whether you have ESPN+ or not, Disney+ subscribers can tune in to The Simpsons Funday Football this Monday, December 9th. (The streaming service will do the same with a handful of Hulu programs like Shogun And reservation dogs, also for independent Disney+ subscribers.)

Bowen said this “sample content” will serve as a way to see the “full value of our package” for those on the fence about ESPN+ or Hulu. The service changes offerings regularly to ensure it offers something that is “current.” “We intend to offer all Disney+ subscribers a select number of live events each month. These are events from a variety of leagues, including the NBA, WNBA, NHL, and even tennis.” Basically, everything needed to upgrade to the full package.

Photo: Disney+

We were shown the beta experience and it’s relatively similar to Hulu on Disney+, but with a few upgrades. You’ll need to subscribe to ESPN+ primarily to get the full library of offerings. You can easily and conveniently upgrade within the app. However, if you already have ESPN+, the available tile should appear right next to Hulu. There you have access to live games and there are even dedicated hubs for different leagues and programs.

Yes. While Disney seems quite happy with the success of Hulu on Disney+ and the launch of ESPN on Disney+, Bowen claimed, “40 percent of eligible subscribers engage with Hulu content on Disney+ each month,” but the company is still maintaining its current ESPN+ -Stand by. app alone. There’s even a “flagship” direct-to-consumer app from ESPN, which Bob Iger has announced will launch in fall 2025 – John Lasker, senior vice president of ESPN+, told us it was launching in August market will come. The more “robust” flagship app will also be part of the ESPN hub once it launches, but we’ll talk about that in more detail next fall.

To date, there has been no price increase associated with the launch of ESPN on Disney+. (The most recent price increase occurred in August.) And Disney hasn’t launched a slimmer package with just ESPN+ and Disney+ like it did with Hulu, also known as a Duo Bundle in Basic and Premium. To get the sports streamer and Disney+, you’ll need to opt for the Trio package, which includes Hulu for either $16.99 per month (the ad-supported basic plan) or $26.99 (the ad-free premium tier). ESPN+ alone costs $11.99, so the basic package includes two additional services for $5 more

Maybe one day – but not so soon. The standalone app for ESPN+ remains, and with a significant redesign to boot, the company clearly still has plans for its standalone apps as well as its “one-app experience.” ” Disney is all about giving you options right now. The company had a difficult 2023, with a loss of $387 million in the third quarter. At the time, Iger claimed that his streamer would be profitable in the fall of 2024. A few weeks ago, in the company’s most recent earnings report, Iger announced an increase of 4.4 million subs over the third quarter and “forecast operating income of approximately $1 billion from Disney+” and Hulu entertainment streaming companies for that Fiscal 2025.” Advertising has been a boon for them, and most current bundles and pricing make the ad-supported plans more enticing options for most consumers. Bowen himself said Hulu and ESPN on Disney+ was an “optimistic” way to “drive further adoption of the package.” Everyone welcomes the return of cable!