ESPN+ Price Hike Coming and What About NFL Sunday Ticket?

 by Ray Keating

News/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 17, 2022

 

A price hike is coming for ESPN+ subscribers, according to a CNBC report, but not for those who subscribe via the Disney bundle, that is, Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu packaged together.

CNBC noted that the monthly subscription price for ESPN+ will be going from $6.99 per month to $9.99 as of August 23. The annual cost for ESPN+ would go from $69.99 to $99.99. The monthly bundle price will remain at $13.99.

 

ESPN+ has an impressive line-up for sports fans, including NHL hockey games and and PGA Tour Live. 

 

For good measure, Disney remains in the running for NFL Sunday Ticket, which allows viewers to have access to all out-of-market Sunday afternoon games. Sunday Ticket always has been on DirecTV, but that deal is due to expire at the end of the 2022 NFL season. The NFL has made clear that it wants a streaming partner, and Disney/ESPN, Apple and Amazon reportedly are in the mix. Also, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said that a decision on NFL Ticket will come before the fall. Rumors swirl that Apple is in front to win, at least for now, as speculation has been quite fluid around this topic for some time now.

 

In addition, the NFL will soon be launching its own NFL+ streaming service.

 

The latest numbers show that ESPN+ has 22.3 million subscribers.

 

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, and the Alliance of Saint Michael novels; and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Two great ways to order Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel, which is Ray’s sixteenth work of fiction, and the first in the Alliance of Saint Michael series. Signed paperbacks here and the Kindle edition here. 

 

Two great ways to order Ray Keating’s new nonfiction book – The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks here, and paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions here.  

 

Get all of Ray Keating Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries in paperback and for the Kindle at Amazon.com and signed books at www.RayKeatingOnline.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.