Disney plans ESPN+ price hike for August: Report
Existing ESPN+ subscribers will receive 1-year grace period before increase takes
Disney is hiking the price of its ESPN+ streaming service for new subscribers beginning in August, according to a report Tuesday.
The cost of ESPN+ will increase $1 to $5.99 per month, The Verge reported, citing internal documents detailing the change. With the price hike, ESPN+ will have the same monthly rate as Disney-owned Hulu’s basic ad-supported plan.
STREAMING SERVICE PRICES COMPARED
The price of ESPN+’s annual plan will remain unchanged at $49.99. Existing ESPN+ subscribers will receive a one-year grace period before the price increase takes effect.
Disney declined to comment.
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ESPN+ had 7.9 million subscribers as of May 2020, Disney disclosed in its second-quarter earnings report. The service debuted in 2018.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIS | THE WALT DISNEY CO. | 115.53 | +1.26 | +1.11% |
The streaming platform broadcasts sports content that is not available on other ESPN platforms, including Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-view events and original programming.
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ESPN’s parent company has spent heavily to build up its digital platforms in recent quarters, launching Disney+ in addition to ESPN+ and Hulu. Disney+ surpassed 50 million subscribers in the first five months after its launch last fall.
Disney offers a bundle of all three streaming services for $12.99 per month.