The ESPN PR X account (formerly Twitter) posted yesterday that Disney has plans to add select live sporting events and studio content to Disney+ by the end of this year.
A first step to bringing ESPN to @DisneyPlus viewers ahead of the launch of a standalone ESPN streaming service in fall 2025
By the end of this calendar year, an ESPN tile will be added to Disney+📺 pic.twitter.com/355e0umStj
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) May 7, 2024
On top of this, there are plans to add an ESPN tile to Disney+ by the end of this year as well.
Previously, not only Disney+ but on Hulu where Disney is a majority owner, Hulu users that had their account bundled with ESPN+ could see live and on-demand ESPN+ content on their Hulu accounts right from the Hulu app.
This has meant that some Hulu users with ESPN+ bundled in their subscription have been able to access live major sporting events like select NFL Monday Night Football (MNF) games on ESPN, college basketball and football games, select MLB and NHL games, as well as Formula 1 races on ESPN+ on Hulu.
What this could mean is that games that are simply broadcast on ESPN like MNF or select college football, basketball, and MLB on ESPN games could be shown live on ESPN on Disney+, along with studio content both live and on-demand from ESPN.
It is planned to be available to all U.S. subscribers in the Disney+ app.
If that was not enough Disney+ news for you, there are reports that Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) are working on a bundle that would bring Disney+, Hulu, and WBD’s MAX all in one bundled subscription.
Joe Earley, President, Direct to Consumer, Disney Entertainment, said this new bundle comes after the successful lunch of another previous bundle Disney has had.
“On the heels of the very successful launch of Hulu on Disney+, this new bundle with Max will offer subscribers even more choice and value,” he said. “This incredible new partnership puts subscribers first, giving them access to blockbuster films, originals, and three massive libraries featuring the very best brands and entertainment in streaming today.”
JB Perrette, CEO and President of Global Streaming and Games at Warner Bros. Discovery, said an option like this is great for consumers.
“This new offering delivers for consumers the greatest collection of entertainment for the best value in streaming, and will help drive incremental subscribers and much stronger retention,” he said. “Offering this unprecedented entertainment value for fans across all the complimentary genres these three services offer, presents a powerful new roadmap for the future of the industry.”
Neither Disney nor WBD have announced any sort of official pricing on the bundle, as that is likely to come at a later date. Both companies have been reported to be working on a live sports streaming service with FOX that is scheduled to debut this fall as well.
What are your thoughts on these latest developments with Disney+, as well as with a potential bundle with MAX? Comment below or let us know on X at @appleosophy.
