ESPN’s live sports streaming service arrives this month
The launch of ESPN's long-awaited standalone streaming service is just weeks away. Alongside its earnings results on Wednesday, Disney revealed that ESPN's streaming service and its enhanced" app will arrive on August 21st for $29.99 per month.
ESPN's new streaming service, which remains separate from ESPN Plus, will offer access to the network's linear channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACN, and more. The service will include 47,000 live sporting events every year, in addition to on-demand replays and original programming.
Just ahead of Disney's earnings, the NFL announced that it's acquiring a 10 percent stake in ESPN. In exchange, ESPN is taking control of the NFL Network and gaining the license to select NFL content, including some out-of-market pre-season games during the 2025 and 2026 season, that it will air on its standalone service.
It's official: ESPN's direct-to-consumer service & enhanced app launch August 21
- ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) August 6, 2025
All of ESPN. All in one place.
Just in time for college football, NFL, US Open, WNBA Playoffs & more
Details: https://t.co/XlwaOjGakl pic.twitter.com/P6w2Cwxi3O
As part of the deal, ESPN's streaming service, along with Disney Plus and Hulu, will stream the NFL draft starting with the 2026 season. ESPN users will also be able to add the NFL Plus Premium plan to their subscription, which includes access to NFL RedZone. Additionally, a five-year deal with the WWE will make ESPN and its streaming service the home to exclusive" wrestling events in the US starting in 2026, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and others. (NBCUniversal's Peacock previously streamed these events.)
The competition between live sports streaming services is heating up. In addition to ESPN, Comcast and DirecTV launched sports-focused streaming offerings earlier this year in an attempt to patch up the fractured landscape. Fox's sports and news streaming service also arrives on August 21st for a cheaper $19.99 per month.
ESPN's streaming service will launch alongside an updated app, featuring more personalization, an improved multiview feature, betting information, game statistics, fantasy sports, and more.
The flagship $29.99 per month ESPN unlimited" plan will exist alongside ESPN Plus, which will still cost $11.99 per month and house a more limited selection of live sports. ESPN will also be available with a number of plan options that include bundles with Disney Plus and Hulu. People who already have a pay TV subscription that includes ESPN will be able to access the streaming service for free.