Initially known by the project code name "Flagship" (or as ESPN Flagship), the service makes ESPN's full range of content—including its core linearcable television channels and associated digital content—available on a fully standalone, direct-to-consumer (DTC) basis for the first time. Much of the content was previously only available as part of traditional subscription TV bundles offered by cable, satellite, and virtual MVPD providers. The service will subsume the programming of ESPN's supplemental streaming service ESPN+ as an entry-level "Select" tier, and include enhanced features on ESPN digital properties.
ESPN intends the new service to also be available via TV Everywhere authentication for existing subscribers, pending carriage negotiations.
Development
Disney launched the ESPN+ streaming service in April 2018; due to the company's agreements with cable companies and other service providers, the service could not include access to ESPN's cable channels, and instead primarily offered sports content not available on those channels.[2]
In May 2023, The Wall Street Journal reported that ESPN was working on a project, internally code named "Flagship", to offer its namesake cable channel directly to consumers outside of the cable bundle. As part of this project, ESPN was reported to be in negotiations with cable providers and sports leagues to give it the flexibility to launch such a service.[3] On February 7, 2024, Disney chief executive Bob Iger announced during an earnings call that the service would launch in late August or fall 2025.[4]
Prior to the announcement of the service's name as simply "ESPN", Disney and ESPN press releases referred to the project as the "ESPN flagship direct-to-consumer service".[5] Most external trade media had referred to the service as "ESPN Flagship" or simply "Flagship".[6][7][8] In March 2025, a Disney executive was reported to have referred to the service as "ESPN All Access" at an industry conference, though no official announcement was made at that time.[9] In May 2025, CNBC reported via internal sources that the service may be branded as "ESPN" with no disambiguation, to signify the service as being the network's core offering for both over the top and subscription television customers, and to reduce market confusion by not using commonly-used suffixes such as "Plus".[10] This plan was confirmed by Disney a few days later.[11]
On August 6, 2025, ESPN announced that the service would launch on August 21; the launch would coincide with a stretch of ESPN-televised events, most notably the start of college football season, and the US Open.[12][13]
Content
The service will be made available in two tiers, marketed as the select and unlimited plans. The lower-priced select plan will contain all content of the existing ESPN+ product, which primarily carries events or coverage not available on ESPN's linear channels; existing ESPN+ subscribers will be converted to this plan automatically, though the ESPN+ brand will remain active for an unspecified period of time due to league contractual obligations.[11][14]
The higher-priced unlimited plan will, in addition to ESPN+ content, include all of ESPN Inc.'s existing U.S. linear cable channels—including the flagshipESPN channel, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, ESPN Deportes, ACC Network, and SEC Network—as well as ESPN on ABC programming, and streaming-only content previously only available through TV provider authentication under the ESPN3, ACC Network Extra (ACCNX), and SEC Network+ brands.[11][3][6][10][15] With plans for ESPN to acquire NFL Media, NFL Network will be distributed as part of the service in the future;[16][17] in the meantime, the service will carry additional NFL content (including interactive features and a package of out-of-market preseason games), while ESPN will have the ability to offer bundles of the service with NFL+.[12]
ESPN executives have indicated that the service will include full integration with the ESPN Betsportsbook, as well as ticketing and merchandising capabilities.[18] Some reports have suggested the service will eventually include the ability to host user-generated content.[19]
On August 6, 2025, professional wrestling promotion WWE announced a five-year agreement with ESPN, in which its pay-per-view and livestreaming events would move to the ESPN service, with select events also being aired on ESPN's linear channels. ESPN will also broadcast studio programming such as pre- and post-event shows, and will have the ability to broadcast shows such as SportsCenter from the sites of WWE events. The deal succeeds one between WWE and NBCUniversal's streaming service Peacock; the agreement does not cover digital rights to WWE's library content or NXT live events, although ESPN president James Pitaro has expressed interest in the library rights if they become available.[12][20][21][22] While originally announced as beginning in 2026, the agreement was later revealed as beginning in September 2025 with its live event Wrestlepalooza; the Peacock contract was based on a quota of events televised and not necessarily a period of time, and had been fulfilled by additional events (such as the second night of SummerSlam and the women's event Evolution) not initially on WWE's schedule for the year.[23][24]
Distribution
Disney has said that all content will be available through both ESPN's own existing app, as well as the ESPN hub on the Disney+ app for those also subscribed to that service.[8][25] In February 2025, CNBC reported the most likely price would be either $25 or $30 per month.[19] Disney later confirmed the $29.99 monthly price for the unlimited tier—though with an introductory offer to bundle the ad-supported versions of Disney+ and Hulu at no additional charge for 12 months—while the select tier would retain ESPN+'s pricing of $11.99 per month.[11] On August 11, 2025, ESPN and Fox Corporation announced that it would offer a bundle of the ESPN service with the upcoming Fox One priced at $39.99 per month.[26][27]
In September 2023, as part of its settlement of a carriage dispute with Disney, Charter Communications gained the right to distribute the planned service as part of its existing packages on launch.[28] In September 2024, following its own carriage dispute with Disney, DirecTV secured similar distribution rights for the ESPN flagship service.[29] In May 2025, Disney's Iger said that all subscribers to the ESPN linear channels would "automatically" get access to the new streaming offering.[30] The company later clarified that various enhancements being introduced alongside the streaming product would be added to ESPN's apps at no extra charge for existing television subscribers,[11] but that the enhanced service will not be available to all providers at launch.[31]
See also
Venu Sports, an unlaunched joint venture DTC sports service from ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery
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