ESPN announces "ESPN Plus"

[SirFozzie]

ESPN's streaming service will cost $4.99 - Feb. 6, 2018

You know all that stuff you've been watching for free on ESPN3/WatchESPN? It's going to a pay service (4.99 a month). But, I'm definitely going to be paying for it, as a lot of the foreign/niche sports that I watch will be on it.

Instead, the ESPN Plus service comes with what Iger called a "greatly expanded array of programs" and live sports that aren't currently available on TV. He mentioned baseball, soccer, hockey, boxing, golf, rugby and cricket as examples.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

You know all that stuff you've been watching for free on ESPN3/WatchESPN? It's going to a pay service (4.99 a month). But, I'm definitely going to be paying for it, as a lot of the foreign/niche sports that I watch will be on it.

Keep in mind too that they have a deal pending that would see them acquire 22 regional sports channels from Fox.

There's a lot of content.

[RainMaker]

So will this just be for cord cutters or would I have to pay for it even if I get ESPN through Comcast?

Their current streaming service is terrible so I'd hold out on subscribing till I knew it wouldn't be a buffering mess.

[SirFozzie]

you would have to pay for it even if you get ESPN, this is mostly for non-ESPN/ESPN2 events.

And they say in the article that they will use the same tech that MLB uses, which is VERY good.

[Suicane75]

I'd be glad to pay during CFL/CFB season if they're using the MLB framework and not whatever shitty tech they have been using to stream.

[henry296]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

So will this just be for cord cutters or would I have to pay for it even if I get ESPN through Comcast?

Their current streaming service is terrible so I'd hold out on subscribing till I knew it wouldn't be a buffering mess.

It sounds like to ESPN/ESPN2 programming would not be a part of this service and you would still need a cable/video subscription.

From the article:

But subscribers won't be able to watch the most popular games for only $4.99. Streaming ESPN TV networks will require a subscription to an existing service that offers those channels.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Keep in mind too that they have a deal pending that would see them acquire 22 regional sports channels from Fox.

There's a lot of content.

Yep. I am betting that's what they are going to use to sell ESPN+. Instead of painting it as you are now having to pay for ESPN3, they'll say that due to the immense amount of content we have acquired, we are making it available to those who do not have cable.

Now that does make it very attractive to people who get ESPN or ESPN2 through a streaming service, but do not get their regional sports network (which at this point may only be Sling Orange, but whatev).

[kcchief19]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

you would have to pay for it even if you get ESPN, this is mostly for non-ESPN/ESPN2 events.

And they say in the article that they will use the same tech that MLB uses, which is VERY good.

They better upgrade their tech because there is no way I would ever pay money for the streaming pile of crap that ESPN currently delivers. I have fiber service and can can 500 mbps on my phone and yet Watch ESPN buffers and crashes nonstop. During big games it's completely unusable.

But still sad to see this happen. I like to watch out of market games and college baseball/softball and other sports on Watch ESPN. Assume that's all going behind the pay wall.

The Fox Sports regional channels will add a ton of content, but assuming MLB will be blacked out.

[ISiddiqui]

Thinking about this further, I'm disappointed they didn't call it ESPN Ocho.

[miami_fan]

MLS to move its streaming service to ESPN+ this year

Major League Soccer's streaming service will become a part of ESPN+ when the new over-the-top product launches this year, the league confirmed on Tuesday.

The move will allow ESPN+ subscribers to stream out-of-market games that are not nationally televised, replacing the league's separate MLS Live service for U.S. users.MLS Live cost $79.99 last season, while ESPN+ will be priced at $4.99 a month ($59.88 annually) and also include many other live sporting events and ESPN content.

Until ESPN+ launches, the league will make MLS Live games available for free on its website and streaming apps.

[Shkspr]

That deal works out to an amazing $1620 a year for MLS.

[cuervo72]

This will revolutionize the way...

[Young Drachma]

I'd do this. I like the ability to cancel services when you're not watching (for me, that's largely summertime.) and ability to reactivate as you want/need or whatever.

[DanGarion]

Great way to segment the market...

[Ksyrup]

So I'm trying to watch the ESPN3 streaming service on my TV through the ESPN app and it's telling me that this service is no longer included in my DirecTV subscription. Is this the beginning of the end of the free stuff, or is this just a problem with my own service that I need to call DTV about? Anyone else having an issue?

[rjolley]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

So I'm trying to watch the ESPN3 streaming service on my TV through the ESPN app and it's telling me that this service is no longer included in my DirecTV subscription. Is this the beginning of the end of the free stuff, or is this just a problem with my own service that I need to call DTV about? Anyone else having an issue?

I have DirecTV. I just pulled up a couple of shows on ESPN3 on my Roku with no problem. I tried it online with the same content and got an error that the channel isn't available with my provider. After logging out and back in, I was able to view the content.

[Ksyrup]

Yeah I noticed the same thing when I tried to login on the computer. Logged out and chose DTV again and it logged in no problem. Unfortunately I'm not sure how to log out of the app on my TV to log back in. I don't even see an option.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Yeah I noticed the same thing when I tried to login on the computer. Logged out and chose DTV again and it logged in no problem. Unfortunately I'm not sure how to log out of the app on my TV to log back in. I don't even see an option.

The option is called "Deactivate Live TV". I have to do it probably a couple of times a year when weird stuff happens.

[Ksyrup]

Thanks. I spent about 20 minutes searching around for anything remotely similar, which I don't have. But, after going through various Settings options, I went back into the ESPN app and scrolled through all the content to the bottom, where I was able to log out and log back in, and that did it. I didn't even know that existed because I never go that far down through the layers of content. All's good.

[ISiddiqui]

ESPN+ is coming April 12

ESPN+ to Launch April 12, Bringing Sports Fans More Live Sports, Exclusive Originals and On-Demand Library – All for $4.99 Per Month - ESPN MediaZone U.S.

Additional details about the array of content in the ESPN+ programming lineup will be announced in the coming days and weeks, but among the thousands of live sports events that ESPN+ will offer to fans are:

MLB – MORE THAN 180 GAMES; A GAME PER DAY THROUGHOUT SEASON: ESPN+ will feature an ESPN+ MLB game each day, seven days per week, throughout the MLB regular season – more than 180 games that will include every MLB team.*
NHL – MORE THAN 180 GAMES; GAME OF THE DAY THROUGHOUT REGULAR SEASON: Beginning with the 2018-19 NHL season, subscribers to ESPN+ will get a daily NHL game throughout the NHL regular season (in keeping with the NHL schedule) – more than 180 hockey games.*
BOXING – YEAR-ROUND SCHEDULE, INCLUDES EXCLUSIVE KHAN VS. LO GRECO BOUT: ESPN+ is a key part of ESPN’s multi-platform Top Rank Boxing on ESPN boxing agreement and will feature high-quality boxing throughout the year, including a selection of exclusive main event fights beginning with the April 21 Amir Khan vs. Phil Lo Greco bout in Liverpool, England. In addition, ESPN+ will feature undercard fights throughout the year from Top Rank on ESPN events, re-airs of all Top Rank on ESPN and PPV events and an unmatched library of legendary fights from the Top Rank and ESPN Big Fights archives.
MLS – MORE THAN 250 GAMES: At launch, ESPN+ will include exclusive access for subscribers to the entire MLS Live out-of-market schedule, featuring more than 250 games,* through their subscription. Before launch, fans can access free MLS out-of-market games streaming live on live on MLSsoccer.com and the MLS App. Additionally, ESPN+ will be the exclusive local-market home for the Chicago Fire, bringing 27 Fire matches to fans in Chicago.
COLLEGE SPORTS – THOUSANDS OF GAMES AND EVENTS, MULTIPLE SPORTS, ACROSS NEARLY TWO DOZEN CONFERENCES: The ESPN+ lineup will be rich with thousands of live college sports events, including football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, track & field, gymnastics, swimming & diving, lacrosse, wrestling, volleyball, golf and more — from over a dozen conferences across the country including the America East, ASun, Big South, Big West, Horizon, Ivy League, MAAC, MAC, MEAC, Missouri Valley, NEC, Southern Conference, Southland, Summit League, Sun Belt, WAC and many more.
SPRING SPORTS
COLLEGE BASEBALL & SOFTBALL: ESPN+ will help college baseball and softball fans see more games than ever before, with hundreds more games from across the college ranks streamed live, exclusively on ESPN+.
LACROSSE, TENNIS AND TRACK & FIELD: ESPN+ will carry dozens of events from across conferences this spring.
FALL SPORTS
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: ESPN+ will include hundreds of college football games each season from across more than a dozen conferences in the FBS and FCS.
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SOCCER, VOLLEYBALL, FIELD HOCKEY: ESPN+ will have hundreds of games this fall from soccer, volleyball and field hockey as the 2018-19 academic year gets underway.
WINTER SPORTS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: College hoops fans will get hundreds of men’s and women’s games every season on ESPN+ from all across the college basketball landscape – from division one powerhouses to top mid-majors to the next tournament Cinderella and more.
COLLEGE WRESTLING, SWIMMING & DIVING, GYMNASTICS AND ICE HOCKEY: Fans of winter Olympic sports will get hundreds of games from a variety of conference partners nationwide exclusively on ESPN+.
PGA TOUR LIVE GOLF – MORE THAN 100 DAYS OF COVERAGE FROM 31 PGA TOUR EVENTS: Golf fans will be able to follow the PGA TOUR throughout the year, with more than 100 days of live coverage from 31 PGA TOUR events, including THE PLAYERS Championship, the FedEx Cup Playoffs, AT&T Byron Nelson, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Travelers Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational and dozens more. Coverage will include Thursday, Friday and some Saturday and Sunday play during the events.
GRAND SLAM TENNIS – HUNDREDS OF TENNIS MATCHES FROM WIMBLEDON, US OPEN & AUSTRALIAN OPEN: Tennis fans will have access to more of the action than ever at three of the annual Grand Slam tennis events. With hundreds of men’s and women’s singles and doubles matches, ESPN+ will be the perfect complement for every passionate tennis fan.
RUGBY & CRICKET – HUNDREDS OF MATCHES FROM INTERNATIONAL RUGBY AND CRICKET: ESPN+ will serve rugby and cricket fans in the U.S. with more of their beloved sports, throughout the year. Rugby fans will get matches from SANZAAR (including Super Rugby, The Rugby Championship, the Lions Series, Mitre10 Cup, Currie Cup, Bledisloe Cup and other international matches), the HSBC World Rugby Sevens series, and 18 regular-season matches in the inaugural season of Major League Rugby, the new American professional rugby union league. Meanwhile, passionate cricket fans across the U.S. will get matches across Test, ODI and T20 formats from New Zealand Cricket and Cricket Ireland.
In addition to the hundreds of NHL and MLB games included in the ESPN+ subscription ($4.99/month, or $49.99/year), die-hard fans will be able to purchase the entire MLB.TV out-of-market package via ESPN+ and view the games within the ESPN App. MLB.TV will cost an additional $24.99 per month. Beginning with the 2018-19 NHL season, fans will also be able to purchase the entire NHL.TV out-of-market package.

[Ksyrup]

Is anyone going to get this? About the only way I'd get it is if they carried Caitlin's conference games. As it is, they've taken games that were free before April 12th and now you have to pay for them. This looks like a package for small school sports family members and fans, mostly.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

As it is, they've taken games that were free before April 12th and now you have to pay for them.

Which always goes over so very well.

They can pretty much go fuck themselves afaic.

[stevew]

I'd almost consider getting it if they had a bunch of HS stuff on it, but I'm sure that's a few years off.

[Ksyrup]

Yeah I noticed Horizon League softball games, which were previously free, now are part of ESPN+. So it's not like they've added more stuff to what was free. They've moved free to pay. Which is a big reason I'm not buying. If it's successful, they'll eventually move all the free stuff to pay. If it's a failure, maybe they'll just keep it for the fringe stuff.

[Logan]

I'm surprised this wasn't launched during college football/basketball season when there would seemingly be more appetite for the kind of games that would end up down the priority list. Seems like launching it now as a free service to work out the kinks would have been smart too.

[Butter]

I'll probably subscribe when/if it comes to Roku.

[Suicane75]

If it's gonna give me 10-20 CFB games a week, I'm getting it.

[Suicane75]

Womens Volleyball aint hurtin the pitch none neither.

[LloydLungs]

The thing is, that is an awful lot of content that was on ESPN3 that was being funded solely through cable subscriptions/league contracts. They actually used to charge extra for the content (in the form of ESPN Gameplan, ESPN Full Court, etc), and now are charging again (albeit less for more content). So, I don't have an issue with a reasonable pay model. That said, I don't know what's keeping them from just making their televised offerings available to cordcutters for an increased price over just the cost of ESPN+. It is the 21st century and all.

Originally Posted by Butter

I'll probably subscribe when/if it comes to Roku.

The Roku app went live yesterday, I believe.

[Critch]

I've subscribed, or at least I'm on my 30 days free trial period, running it from Apple TV 4 and I'm ok with it so far. The English Championship soccer was enough to get my $4.99 per month, but it has a good selection.

One glitch so far, if you join before a broadcast starts you get a "broadcast will start at 3pm" kind of screen, but it doesnt automatically start the broadcast at 3pm, you need to leave and come back to get it to start. Vaguely annoying, but not showstopping. Also I couldnt watch the on-demand of the DC United game because of regional blackout, not sure if that's a glitch or an annoying rule that blackout applies to on-demand replays 2 days after the event.

On the plus side, ESPN's Draft Academy is interesting viewing, enjoyed it despite not being an NFL fan. Shaquem Griffin's story and Equanimeous St. Brown's dad are good tv.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by LloydLungs

That said, I don't know what's keeping them from just making their televised offerings available to cordcutters for an increased price over just the cost of ESPN+. It is the 21st century and all.

Most of their model depends on cable networks (even on the skinny bundles you can get online). They get quite a bit of what every subscriber pays. You start undermining that and things can get hairy regarding some of their big rights packages sports (the ones they'll show on ESPN/2).

One day they'll likely offer ESPN/2/News/U for something like $15 a month, but I'd imagine it'll be after either sports rights packages drop or they loose a few.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Critch

I've subscribed, or at least I'm on my 30 days free trial period, running it from Apple TV 4 and I'm ok with it so far. The English Championship soccer was enough to get my $4.99 per month, but it has a good selection.

This will be me especially if Fulham does not make it to the EPL this year.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Critch

One glitch so far, if you join before a broadcast starts you get a "broadcast will start at 3pm" kind of screen, but it doesnt automatically start the broadcast at 3pm, you need to leave and come back to get it to start. Vaguely annoying, but not showstopping.

Which is odd, because ESPN3 broadcasts do start automatically.

[CrescentMoonie]

Thoroughly enjoying this for the MLS, USL, and now Major League Rugby matches.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

Thoroughly enjoying this for the MLS, USL, and now Major League Rugby matches.

Oh HELLO!

You going to watch a bunch of B1G football replays on there too next season? I bet you will.

Have you enjoyed the underground bunker you lived in for the past 6 months because you weren't man enough to face up to all that shit you talked before bowl season?

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Logan

Oh HELLO!

You going to watch a bunch of B1G football replays on there too next season? I bet you will.

Have you enjoyed the underground bunker you lived in for the past 6 months because you weren't man enough to face up to all that shit you talked before bowl season?

This message is hidden because CrescentMoonie is on your ignore list.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I guess I'm not alone.

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by Logan

Oh HELLO!

You going to watch a bunch of B1G football replays on there too next season? I bet you will.

Have you enjoyed the underground bunker you lived in for the past 6 months because you weren't man enough to face up to all that shit you talked before bowl season?

Or...I took a job with a major university and we just finished the rollout of the first phase of a huge project last week and I have free time for the first time in 5 months instead of working around the clock 7 days a week. Maybe that's what happened.

Got the football dead wrong for the B1G but did well with nearly everyone else. I also did pretty well with the hoops tourney to nearly break even at Bovada. Not bad for someone whose life isn't so pathetic that they live and die by a message board.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

Or...I took a job with a major university and we just finished the rollout of the first phase of a huge project last week and I have free time for the first time in 5 months instead of working around the clock 7 days a week. Maybe that's what happened.

What a coincidence!

Not bad for someone whose life isn't so pathetic that they live and die by a message board.

Before your Houdini act, you had the most posts on here by like a 2-1 margin over the next closest, so might want to tread lightly.

In fact, with the 5+ month break, you are still the #1 poster over the past year by a significant margin and you've nearly doubled up #3.

[molson]

15 live UFC shows and their fight catalog moving to ESPN+

Interesting choice from a sports content perspective to move away from their over-the-top Fight Pass streaming service and partner up with ESPN instead. Fight Pass will still exist, but it's not clear why. (I guess for non-U.S. users who don't have access to ESPN+)

[albionmoonlight]

I was just trying to find some random thing on the web the other day, and had so much trouble between clickbait and ads, etc.

It was a great run getting a bunch of shit for free while VC money supported quests for eyeballs.

But I'm ready for a world where I pay for my news and sports and entertainment and the content and presentation improves.

I hope ESPN+ is part of a trend moving toward the radical idea of producing actual content and having people pay actual money for it.

[SirFozzie]

So, bringing this back up, they've added a bunch of soccer (Serie A, A-League, and now the Eredivisie), as well as the Rugby Championship.

I'm pretty damn happy with paying for a year in advance.

[Critch]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

So, bringing this back up, they've added a bunch of soccer (Serie A, A-League, and now the Eredivisie), as well as the Rugby Championship.

I'm pretty damn happy with paying for a year in advance.

Looks like they've added Chinese Super League too, fills in those soccer-free pre-breakfast hours.

Eredivisie so far looks like three games per week, so Ajax/PSV/Feyenoord every week basically. My only complaint about their soccer coverage so far is that they dont have English commentary on their Mexican games.

I havent paid for a year in advance yet because I didnt notice that option, but I did pay for a year of B/R Live. B/R Live on-demand section lists all the games with the final score shown, rookie mistake, hope they fix it soon.

[ISiddiqui]

Apparently the Serie A deal also included the English FA Cup rights.

[Critch]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Apparently the Serie A deal also included the English FA Cup rights.

Looking at their upcoming games, it looks like they're showing every Serie A game, streaming multiple games at once. It's a good time to choose a random Serie A also-ran and watch every game for a year.

[PilotMan]

Found out that they are moving all of NDSU's football games from espn3 to +. This does not sit well with me.

[SirFozzie]

ESPN+, ESPN Insider and the Magazine are all merging. If they don't raise the prices a great deal (for me at least) became a fantastic deal...



We have great news! ESPN Insider is merging with ESPN+.

What does this mean?
ESPN+ is the new multi-sport, video streaming service from ESPN. In the next few weeks, Insider content will be integrated into ESPN+. So, you'll continue to receive the same Insider coverage you're used to, plus live sports and exclusive originals--all at no extra cost!

What you can look forward to:
Live sports: Stream thousands of live events including Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, Major League Soccer, Serie A international soccer, Top Rank Boxing and more!
ESPN Originals: Get on-demand access to ESPN originals, exclusive studio shows like The Fantasy Show, and the entire library of 30 for 30 documentaries.
Limited ads: ESPN+ subscribers get fewer ads across all ESPN digital products (ESPN.com, ESPN app).
Connectivity: Stream on the go or at home, on your smartphone, tablet, computer, and supported connected living room devices.
What you'll continue to enjoy:
Insider's premium content from experts like Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, Keith Law and others!
Tools to get an edge in your fantasy sports leagues, and Tournament Challenge brackets.
Continued delivery of ESPN The Magazine as a part of your subscription.
Your subscription will automatically become ESPN+ in the next few weeks and you will be renewed at next billing as an ESPN+ subscriber. See ESPN+ Subscriber Agreement for full details.

[Ksyrup]

That's a smart move. I have visited ESPN's website probably half-dozen times in the past 5 or so years. I haven't paid for Insider since all of those deals on the Magazine we used to post around here years and years ago. I do miss some stuff like Keith Law, but frankly it's out of sight, out of mind and has been for many years.

Depending on price and whatever else might be worth having, I could consider biting on this. They can keep the mag though...

[Ksyrup]

Speaking of ESPN, I really don't get what ESPN was thinking with Get Up. Mike Greenberg should have just made the transition to ABC like Robin Roberts and Michael Strahan instead of trying to create a sports version of The View. I can't say anything bad about the show because I've literally never seen a second of it.

Get Up is adding rotating NFL and college football analysts to each day of the week, which will totally solve all of its problems

[Ryche]

That's good. Just subscribed to espn+ for Championship League football, would have dropped insider once it expired.