Disney confirmed plans to of its sports streaming service ESPN+ to $9.99 per month, a 43% increase. The change will take effect on 23 August.
A signficiant raise from $6.99 per month, the annual subscription for the service has also been bumped up from $69.99 to $99.99. "If you get your streaming ESPN service as a part of the Disney bundle, however, which packages Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, and ad-supported Hulu for $13.99 per month (including Hulu without ads takes the price to $19.99 per month), that will remain at the same price as before," a The Verge report explains.
The increase marks the third of its kind for ESPN Plus. According to Disney spokesperson Paul Melvin, related websites and support pages have not yet been updated, but the company plans to notify its subscribers next week. Though the pricepoint spike is uncommon, it reflects how services have adapted to the growing demand for streaming.
Disney’s last two ESPN+ price rises have been for just $1 per month, first in 2020 and later in July 2021. The company hopes to promote its full slate of content offerings, which include live National Football League games, exclusive Grand Slam tennis matches from Wimbledon and the Australian Open, PGA Tour events, and National Hockey League games.
The move also correaltes with the company's efforts to reach 230 million to 260 million Disney+ subscribers by the end of 2024. Last quarter, the service ended with 137.7 million global Disney+ subscribers and 22.3 million ESPN+ customers.
Related News
