ESPN's new streaming service passes 1 million paid subscribers in five months
ESPN+, the new direct-to-consumer streaming sport service, has reached more than one million paid subscribers since launching in April.
ESPN+ is one of Disney's streaming services that have launched or are set to launch as it expands into the over-the-top streaming business.
ESPN+, the streaming video service from the sports network, has reached more than one million paid subscribers.
It's an impressive feat, given the service just launched in April .
ESPN+ will stream 10,000 live sporting events in its first year, in addition to on-demand content and past sporting events. It features games from Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, and global soccer events. It does not require its subscribers to buy a cable or satellite subscription, appealing to cord-cutters. The service costs $4.99 per month, or $49.99 per year.
"Combining sports, technology and the ESPN brand is a very powerful combination, and we are just getting started," Jimmy Pitaro, President of ESPN and co-Chair, Disney Media Networks, said in a statement. "Very quickly, a wide range of sports fans have seen the value of ESPN+. With high quality programming and an outstanding user experience, ESPN and DTCI are expanding the ways Disney is serving sports fans."
The ESPN+ service is part of parent company Disney's DIS plans to increase its presence in the over-the-top streaming business. Disney also plans to launch a branded streaming service of its movies and original programming in 2019 , and will pull its content off of Netflix NFLX . In addition, if the Disney-Fox FOXA acquisition formally closes, it will have a larger stake in streaming service Hulu.
Note: CNBC parent company NBCUniveral is also a part owner of Hulu.
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