For months we’ve heard about ESPN’s plans to launch a direct-to-consumer streaming service that will cost subscribers $4.99 per month and provide thousands of live sporting events. On Monday, ESPN gave that service a name and a launch date, which is rapidly approaching.
ESPN+ is the name of the service (they really want you to know it is not ESPN Plus but ESPN+) and it will boast live sporting events from MLB, NHL, MLS, PGA Tour golf, Top Rank boxing, tennis, rugby, cricket, and a wide variety of college sports. The service will launch on April 12, with a $4.99 per month price tag, or a $49.99 option for a yearly subscription.
There will also be add ons available for those that want to tack on full MLB.TV and NHL.TV out of market packages for an additional $24.99 per month — which makes sense considering ESPN’s investment in MLBAM. Golf fans will be pleased to know that ESPN+ will include a PGA Tour Live subscription, so for those already shelling out $4.99 per month for the PGA Tour’s streaming service, you can get that plus everything else ESPN+ offers for the same monthly cost.
For MLS fans, ESPN+ will include the full MLS Live out of market package as well as being the exclusive carrier for Chicago Fire games in the Chicago market. The NHL and MLB game offerings for the standard ESPN+ package will be a daily game from each sport broadcast on ESPN+, totaling over 180 games of each.
