ESPN’s forthcoming DTC app to be called simply ‘ESPN’

Disney will name its forthcoming all-access streaming service “ESPN,” according to reporting from CNBC’s Alex Sherman. 

The decision will be formally announced at a media event scheduled for next week. The service is expected to launch in the fall and carry a monthly subscription price of either $25 or $30. Pricing details and bundling options will be unveiled alongside the official announcement.

The streaming application will include the full range of ESPN content. This will cover live games across ESPN’s networks, including ESPN2, the SEC Network and “ESPN on ABC.” The service will also feature studio shows, documentaries, fantasy sports tools, and betting integrations.

ESPN+ will continue to be offered as a separate, less expensive streaming product. Priced at $11.99 per month, ESPN+ does not include access to high-profile live games such as “Monday Night Football,” which are exclusive to traditional pay television.

CNBC notes the naming decision was made to reduce confusion in a fragmented streaming environment.

Pay-TV subscribers will be able to authenticate their existing ESPN credentials within the new app, gaining access to digital features not available through linear TV. The reimagined ESPN mobile app will serve as the central platform for both mobile and smart TV access.

During the company’s recent earnings call, Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger reiterated that the forthcoming service will not accelerate cord-cutting. He emphasized that the new app complements the multichannel ecosystem while expanding the company’s direct-to-consumer presence.

“The plan would be to basically be somewhat agnostic from a subscriber perspective, so that we can still do our best to preserve the multichannel ecosystem but, at the same time, obviously, want to grow our DTC business,” Iger said.

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“The difference is that the ESPN linear service will, if that’s all the consumer chooses to watch, will not have the bells and whistles and those additional features that the DTC service will have. But again, we’re giving the consumer the option of consuming both.”

The flagship streaming product has been under internal development for two years and has been referred to as “ESPN Flagship” during that time.