In a seemingly saturated streaming market, the appeal of live sports has driven significant growth for new direct-to-consumer services from ESPN and Fox. According to industry tracking firm Antenna, the new ESPN and Fox One platforms collectively attracted approximately one million new subscribers within their first 10 days. This figure exclusively counts new sign-ups and does not include users accessing the services through existing cable or Disney+ subscriptions.
While Antenna did not provide a specific breakdown, reports from Front Office Sports suggest the majority of new subscribers opted for ESPN. The timing of the launches, coinciding with the start of the NFL season, is seen as a key factor in their immediate success, as viewers sought cable-free options to watch live football. Fox One’s primary draw is its live sports content from Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, and local affiliates, which it offers alongside Fox News and Fox Business. The long-term success and subscriber retention for both services will be closely watched once the current football season concludes.
Individually, the new ESPN service is priced at $29.99 per month, while Fox One costs $19.99 per month. Underscoring Disney’s focus on bundling, the company plans to offer a combined subscription for both services at a discounted price of $39.99 per month, starting October 2nd.
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