Disney’s new standalone ESPN streaming service is officially set for kickoff on Aug. 21, and soon thereafter, the streamer will add a host of WWE events as ESPN and WWE have reached a domestic rights agreement.
The offering, which was first announced last year and will be available to ESPN linear’s existing pay TV subscribers, will package the sports network’s programming with fantasy sports integrations, enhanced statistics, betting features and e-commerce.
The unlimited plan, which includes access to 47,000 live events, studio shows and more, will cost $29.99 per month/$299.99 per year standalone, $35.99 in a bundle with ads on Disney+ and Hulu and $44.99 per month with no ads on Disney+ and Hulu. At launch, the bundle will cost $29.99 for the first 12 months.
Meanwhile, the cheaper select plan, which includes over 32,000 live events currently available on ESPN+, will be $11.99 per month/$119.99 per year. It will cost $16.99 per month with ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu and $26.99 per month with ad-free Disney+ and Hulu.
Additionally, ESPN and the new ESPN streaming service will become the exclusive U.S. domestic home of all WWE Premium Live Events, including “WrestleMania,” starting in 2026, following a deal announced on Thursday.
The ESPN DTC service will stream all WWE PLEs annually, in their entirety, with select simulcasting on ESPN linear platforms. Marquee PLEs include WrestleMania and SummerSlam –both two-night events – and Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, Money in the Bank, among others. WWE will continue to produce all PLEs.
ESPN’s DTC service comes as other media companies are rolling out their own direct-to-consumer streaming offerings. Fox this week announced the launch of Fox One on Aug. 21.
The launch date is timed to coincide with the start of the college football and NFL seasons, US Open tennis, international soccer, women’s college soccer, volleyball, field hockey, and more.
Subscribers will have access to ESPN programming across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX. That includes live and on-demand programming such as “SportsCenter,” “Get Up,” “First Take,” “NFL Live,” “The Pat McAfee Show,” “Pardon the Interruption,” “College GameDay,” “NBA Today,” “Inside the NBA,” “The Rich Eisen Show,” “30 for 30” films, ESPN Originals, replays, and more.
In addition to integrated game stats, betting information, fantasy sports and commerce, other features will include updated multi-view options and a personalized “SportsCenter For You.”
Existing ESPN+ subscribers will automatically become subscribers to ESPN’s new service, based on their current subscription level. Standalone ESPN+ subscribers get the ESPN Select plan, and Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ bundle subscribers get the ESPN Select bundle.
In addition to the new streaming service, ESPN’s content is also available on streaming via the cheaper, standalone ESPN+ service for $11.99 per month, which the company will continue to market and sell in part due to contractual rights commitments with several leagues, both domestically and internationally. ESPN is also available as a tile in Disney+ available for bundle subscribers.
Separately, ESPN and the NFL reached a multi-year extension on NFL Draft licensing, with Disney+, Hulu and ESPN DTC set to stream ESPN, ABC, and ESPN Deportes’ trio of Draft presentations starting in 2026. Additional alternate NLF Draft presentations from ESPN will also be available, as well as a new daily show dedicated to the NFL draft that will air on ESPN2 most days and launch following the Super Bowl.
That deal will also see ESPN and ABC will each produce telecasts for rounds 1-3 on Thursday and Friday and ESPN continue to air rounds 4-7 with an ABC simulcast. ESPN can add other alternate telecasts across streaming platforms for rounds 1-7. Additionally, premier football shows “College GameDay” and “NFL Live” will continue to be on-site from the NFL Draft, and ESPN Radio will continue its live broadcast of the event.
ESPN and the NFL have also reached a deal for rights to additional NFL content. ESPN DTC will stream select out-of-market NFL preseason games during the 2025 and 2026 seasons. ESPN will also be able to sell and bundle NFL+ Premium, the league’s DTC service that launched in 2022, with ESPN’s DTC service, giving fans the ability to watch NFL Network and NFL RedZone through the NFL+ Premium offering. ESPN DTC subscribers will also have an exclusive on-demand “Monday Night Football” recap, while Disney+ will offer select NFL simulcasts and have highlight rights within shows like “Vibe Check” and SportsCenter+.
Additionally, ESPN has agreed to acquire the NFL Network, the linear RedZone channel and NFL Fantasy in exchange for the league taking a 10% stake. Disney currently owns 80% of ESPN, while Hearst owns the remaining 20%.
Together, the various deals will create 28 windows for NFL games, up from ESPN’s previous 22 windows, according to Disney CEO Bob Iger.
