After launching Hulu on Disney Plus in March for US subscribers, the ESPN hub addition is landing on the streaming service in December, the company shared in its third-quarter executive summary on Wednesday. CEO Bob Iger initially announced the news about adding ESPN content to Disney Plus during Walt Disney Co.'s second-quarter earnings call in May.
"By the end of this calendar year, we will be adding an ESPN tile to Disney Plus, giving all US subscribers access to select live games and studio programming within the Disney Plus app," Iger said. "We see this as a first step to bringing ESPN to Disney Plus viewers, as we ready the launch of our enhanced standalone ESPN streaming service in the fall of 2025."
The rollout of Hulu titles on the Disney Plus app brought a dedicated hub for the platform as well as Hulu content that surfaces on the home screen. You'll need to have a Disney Bundle or have standalone subscriptions for both streaming services in order to access Hulu on Disney Plus. The ESPN tile will function in a similar format, but the selection of content will be smaller.
During the May earnings call, Iger said the ESPN tile "will have a modest amount of programming. But it's a start in terms of essentially conditioning the audience, or subscribers to Disney Plus and Hulu, to the fact that sports is going to be there. And it also will help us in terms of overall engagement with our bundle." He also said that "our current plan is ... if you're an ESPN Plus subscriber, you'll be able to get ESPN Plus through that tile."
The debut of ESPN on Disney Plus will come after the company implements new price increases across its array of streaming platforms. Beginning Oct. 17, you'll pay more for Hulu, Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu with Live TV. Monthly pricing for Disney Bundle offerings is also going up.
Disney offers four bundles -- two come with Hulu and Disney Plus and the other two combine subscriptions to Hulu, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus. The latter bundles currently cost $15 a month (which includes the ad-supported versions of Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus) and $25 a month (which includes the same, but Hulu and Disney Plus are ad free), but will increase to $17 and $27, respectively.
In addition to the ESPN tile on Disney Plus, Disney is gearing up for the upcoming fall launch of its Venu Sports streaming venture from Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery,and a standalone ESPN service that is expected in fall 2025.
A press release announcing ESPN's partnership with Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, mentioned that there will be bundles that tie that new sports service with Disney Plus and Hulu as well as with Warner Bros. Discovery's Max.
During the spring earnings call, Iger said that "as I look ahead, I think ESPN is going to make a pivot toward digital, but without abandoning linear. So it will remain on linear. If people want to get ESPN and its different channels through a cable or satellite subscription, that's fine."
Iger said there will "be many different access points to get the digital product" if subscribers want to pivot.