Disney Confirms Launch Date for ESPN Streaming Service, Offers Details on Pricing and Content

Disney's ESPN streaming service will launch on August 21 at $30/month, offering all sports broadcasts, including NFL games, NBA regular season and playoffs, and other sports. The service will have two tiers, with the $30/month tier showing all 47,000 events across ESPN's networks. Disney also acquired NFL Network and RedZone in exchange for a 10% stake in ESPN.

Disney has announced that its ESPN streaming service will launch on August 21, 2025, priced at $29.99 per month. The service will offer all sports broadcasts, including NFL games, NBA regular season and playoffs, and other sports. The service will have two tiers: a $29.99 per month unlimited plan and a $11.99 per month plan that will not include access to ESPN's linear networks [1].

The new streaming service will provide access to 47,000 live sporting events each year, on-demand replays, studio shows, and original programming. Additionally, the service will include a new deal with the National Football League (NFL), giving ESPN control of the NFL Network and RedZone in exchange for a 10% stake in the network [2].

The NFL Network will become one of ESPN's channels, joining ESPN2, ESPNU, and more. The 24/7 channel includes programming devoted to the league in the offseason as well as games that the league will need to license back to ESPN. The network also acquired the rights to stream the NFL Draft starting with the 2026 season [3].

Disney's CEO, Bob Iger, stated that the launch of the ESPN streaming service is part of the company's strategy to increase its presence in the lucrative streaming market. The company's fiscal third-quarter total subscribers to Disney+ grew by 1.4% versus the prior three-month period to 127.8 million. Disney has also been expanding its theme parks and cruises businesses around the world [4].

The launch of the ESPN streaming service comes amidst increasing competition in the live sports streaming market. Comcast and DirecTV have launched sports-focused streaming offerings earlier this year, and Fox's sports and news streaming service will also arrive on August 21 for a cheaper $19.99 per month [4].

References:
[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonifitzgerald/2025/08/06/espn-sets-launch-date-for-30-streaming-service-after-acquiring-nfl-networks/
[2] https://tvline.com/news/espn-streaming-service-cost-price-launch-date-1235485852/
[3] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/disney-raises-earnings-guidance-launch-112921591.html
[4] https://www.theverge.com/news/719716/espn-live-sports-streaming-service-launch-date-price