Disney is the latest traditional media company to embrace the future of entertainment. It had announced its ESPN+ sports live streaming service several months ago and today is the day that you can finally sign up for the service. ESPN+ is now live and it’s the first digital streaming service from Disney as it looks to become a major player in the online video streaming arena.
Subscribers will get access to more than 10,000 live sporting events on ESPN+ that are not shown on TV. They will also get exclusive on-demand programming which includes a documentary about controversial college basketball coach Bobby Knight.
Disney is aiming to bring in as many subscribers as possible to cover the investments that it has made in producing programs for the service. Kevin Mayer, chairman of Disney’s direct-to-consumer and international unit, has said that ESPN+ may lose money for “some number of years, not huge.”
Speaking to reporters at a briefing in ESPN’s studio in Los Angeles, he said that the company expects the service to become profitable and that it’s also going to provide valuable insight that Disney can use for the other online streaming services that it’s planning.
Those who are interested an subscribe to ESPN+ starting today for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year through ESPN.com or through the network’s mobile app. A conventional pay TV subscription is not required for ESPN+.
Filed in . Read more about Disney, Entertainment and Espn. Source: reuters