The streaming landscape is about to get even more crowded! Both ESPN and Fox are launching new streaming services aimed at capturing the growing audience of cord-cutters and cord-nevers. Here's a breakdown of what you need to know:
ESPN's All-In Streaming Play
ESPN's highly anticipated direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming service and enhanced app are set to debut on August 21st. This launch coincides with Disney's quarterly earnings report and signals a major push into the streaming market.
The new ESPN service aims to consolidate all of ESPN's offerings into one platform, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX. It will also offer the option to bundle NFL Network and NFL RedZone through a deal with NFL+ Premium, providing a comprehensive sports viewing experience.
ESPN expects to start with approximately 25 million subscribers, migrating existing ESPN+ users to the new platform. The monthly cost is $29.99. However, Disney will cease reporting ESPN streaming subscriber metrics starting next quarter, making it harder to track its success in attracting new cord-cutter subscribers.
Fox Joins the Fray with Fox One
Rupert Murdoch's Fox Corp. is also entering the streaming arena with Fox One, launching on August 21st. For $19.99 a month (or $199 for a full year), Fox One will provide access to local Fox TV affiliates (including NFL games), Fox Sports cable channels, Fox News, Fox Weather, and Fox Business.
Fox One will also offer on-demand replays of Fox programming, access to current seasons of entertainment shows, and DVR capabilities with unlimited storage. The service will heavily promote its live event offerings, including the upcoming FIFA World Cup, under the tagline "We Live For Live."
The Battle for Viewers
These launches come at a time when streaming usage is surpassing traditional broadcast and cable TV. According to Nielsen, streaming accounted for 44.8% of U.S. television usage, compared to 44.2% for linear TV. This marks a significant shift from May 2021, when linear TV held a commanding 64% share compared to streaming's 26%.
With both ESPN and Fox offering compelling content packages, the competition for streaming subscribers is sure to intensify. It remains to be seen which service will emerge as the victor in this rapidly evolving media landscape.