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Disney+ has already netted 28.6 million subscribers
Disney's start on direct-to-customer streaming came out of the gate with the bang, as the company reported it had 26.5 million paid subscribers for Disney+ (PDF) by the end of 2019. ESPN+ grew to 6.6 million subscribers from 1.4 million last year, while Hulu has 30 million customers total, with 3.2 million of them signing up for live TV services. On a call with investors, CEO Bob Iger reported that Disney+ is still growing, and is up to 28.6 million customers worldwide as of Monday. Iger also announced that Disney+ will launch in India via the company's HotStar service and said Hulu could launch internationally in 2021. On the call with investors, Iger specified that season two of The Mandalorian will debut in October, as well as shows the MCU shows it featured in Super Bowl ads. Falcon and the Winter Soldier will launch in August, and Wandavision arrives in December. He also said that the Star Wars show will run beyond two seasons, with a possibility of "infusing it with more characters and taking those characters in their own direction in terms of series." Executives said they don't expect the next "significant" domestic growth to happen until those series launch. According to the CEO, people weren't just watching the viral series, with over 65 percent of viewers watching ten other things on the platform. Interestingly, he also said that the current priority of Star War is TV as opposed to theatrical releases.
ESPN's 4K National Championship broadcast airs on Comcast, DirecTV and Altice
Back in October ESPN started broadcasting college football in 4K, and now it's time for the National Championship Game. For tonight's matchup between LSU and Clemson the network will present a Samsung-sponsored feed from the Field Pass view -- with "free flowing commentary of the game" and SkyCam angle in Ultra HD. There's still no HDR in the broadcast yet, but viewers with appropriate setups from Comcast, DirecTV and Altice can tune in. Hopefully the broadcast won't suffer from any glitches, as Awful Announcing pointed out the the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day ran into numerous "technical difficulties" for DirecTV viewers.
Sling TV's Cloud DVR can finally record ESPN
You no longer have to worry that you'll miss out on a big sports extravaganza just because you're a Sling TV subscriber. The cord-cutter service has switched on Cloud DVR for key ESPN channels, including the main channel, ESPN2, Desportes, Bases Loaded, Goal Line, ACC Network and SEC Network. There's a good chance you can catch that big college basketball match game if you know you'll miss the live match. This doesn't extend to digital-only channels like ESPN3, ACC Network Extra and SEC Network+, however, so you'll still need to tune for some programming.
Disney+ is boosting its library by running a Starz ad (update)
When you first launch Disney+ after it becomes available next early week, you might find something that wasn't supposed to be there. According to The Verge, the streaming service will show some subscribers an ad promoting premium TV channel Starz after they finish the initial sign-up process. Disney confirmed to Engadget that the one-time promo will be shown to some users once they finish signing up for the service and entering payment details.
Watch ESPN's first native 4K game Saturday -- if you have DirecTV or Comcast
By now we've seen Ultra HD TV broadcasts of sports and other content, but for the first time ESPN is getting into the game. The network just confirmed that Saturday night's college football matchup between Florida and LSU at 8PM ET will be the first one it ever broadcasts live in native 4K resolution. The only problem now is that the only way to watch this broadcast is via DirecTV with the right equipment. ESPN's 4K productions in the future may be available via more distributors, but so far only the one satellite broadcaster has signed on. The broadcast is the first of six planned college football 4K events this year under the "Samsung QLED 4K Game of the Week" banner, which will include a 4K feed of the National Championship BCS game on January 13th, 2020. Unlike Fox's recent (upscaled from 1080p) NFL broadcasts, there won't be any use of HDR, but it is high resolution. Also unlike Fox, ESPN isn't using its apps -- or even Samsung's apps -- to stream the game in 4K, which seems like an unfortunate missed opportunity when the network has been preparing to handle 4K for many years now. Hopefully all goes well, and this doesn't end up like its 3D push that shut down after a couple of years due to a lack of adoption. Update (10/11, 7:14 PM ET): Comcast has also signed on to distribute the first live ESPN 4K broadcast, so if you have one of the cable company's Ultra HD boxes then you should be able to watch too. Additionally, ESPN informed Sports Video Group that along with the 4K game feed, it's also providing an Atmos audio stream.
ESPN will create a daily sports show for Quibi's streaming service
Quibi's upcoming mobile video service is so far focused on short-form shows from celebrities like Chrissy Teigen, Idris Elba and Steven Spielberg, but sports are now set to be part of the package as well. ESPN has agreed to create a daily sports show for Quibi that will recap the "biggest moments" and deliver breaking news. While the finer points of the show haven't been mentioned, it will be the exclusive US multi-sport provider for Quibi's curated news programming and should be ready when Quibi itself debuts in April 2020.
ESPN+ was already an insane deal, now it has the Bundesliga
The dust had just settled from Bayern Munich's 7-2 thumping of Tottenham when ESPN made arguably its biggest ESPN+ announcement to date. Starting with the 2020 season, ESPN+ will be the home of the Bundesliga in the US and fans will be able to stream every regular season match, plus the DFL Supercup, relegation playoffs and more. The standalone streaming service already offered a lot of soccer, now it's quickly becoming the best option for following the sport. And it still, miraculously, only costs $5 a month.
Disney deal will keep ESPN on PlayStation Vue for years to come
Don't worry about the fate of ESPN channels on PlayStation Vue -- they're not going anywhere. Sony and the Walt Disney Company have struck a "multi-year" deal that will keep delivery Disney-owned channels to Vue, including several ESPN channels, ABC, the Disney Channel and recently acquired Fox channels like FX and National Geographic. There's no mention of how much the deal is worth.
ESPN will make exclusive shows for Facebook Watch
ESPN will broadcast exclusive shows and segments on Facebook Watch under a new deal. First up are bonus segments from Always Late With Katie Nolan, an ESPN+ sports/comedy show that'll debut on ESPN2 this week, along with The People's MMA Show, a weekly series focused on the lives of mixed martial arts fighters. There'll also be a version of the Countdown to GameDay pre-game show for College GameDay and a video version of Fantasy Focus Live.
Fubo Sports Network will stream live sports and original shows
FuboTV is bringing original programming and live sports to its free Fubo Sports Network. The channel will feature shows hosted by popular sports personalities including former ESPN and Fox Sports reporter Julie Stewart-Binks and former LA Galaxy plyer Cobi Jones. Fubo Sports Network will also broadcast live action from Liga MX, the top soccer league in Mexico, as well as major events in cycling and horse racing.
Charter will integrate Hulu and Disney+ into its set-top boxes
Disney and Charter Communications inked a multi-year deal today that will deliver a wide range of content -- from college sports to The Bachelor -- to Spectrum subscribers. The deal avoids a blackout of Disney-controlled networks like ABC and ESPN, reported Bloomberg. It also paves the way for ESPN's ACC Network, which Charter has agreed to carry as a part of the deal. The new 24/7 network, which was developed in partnership with the Atlantic Coast Conference, is expected to launch on August 22nd.
The best streaming services for cord-cutters on a budget
Even though there are dozens of video-streaming services to choose from, thankfully they're not all the same. And for those of you who may be on a budget, like students, that's a great thing, because it means you can likely find one that suits your needs. Whether you're trying to save money or simply don't care to have a cable subscription, there are plenty of standalone streaming services for watching TV, movies and sports, both live and on demand, that aren't too expensive.
Esports return to the X Games with 'Apex Legends'
It's been three years since electronic sports were a feature of the X Games, but this year marks its glorious return to the tournament. ESPN has announced that Apex Legends'will be the star of this year's show, with invitational qualifiers taking place on June 29th.
ESPN launches an esports event series, starting with 'Apex Legends'
ESPN is about to expand its fledgling esports strategy in a very noticeable way. The broadcaster has launched an EXP esports series that will bring competitive gaming to its events. They'll typically include a variety of games with collegiate, pro and pro-am formats. You'll have to watch online if you want to tune in live, but there will be "tape-delayed" highlights show on ESPN and other ABC TV channels after the fact.
ESPN+ is the English-language home for Copa America in the US
If you want to watch the hottest soccer (or rather futbol) tourney in the Americas, you'll have to pony up for an ESPN+ subscription. The service has struck a deal to become the sole home for English-language coverage of the 2019 CONMEBOL Copa America in the US, with every game streamed live. That's not hot if you were hoping to watch elsewhere, but it is a rare chance to see games with several of the world's best footie players in one place, including Messi, Neymar Jr. and Suarez.
Disney will 'likely' offer a discounted Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu bundle
We haven't heard exactly how much Disney will charge for its streaming service, but at today's investor event its Direct to Consumer president Kevin Mayer announced an interesting note about its plans. Whatever it costs, you will "likely" be able to get a discount once it launches later this year by subscribing to a bundle of Disney+, the ESPN+ internet service and Hulu, which it now has a controlling stake in after the acquisition of Fox. That could be appealing to cord cutters, at the right price and with enough content, but without knowing more about Disney+ we're not sure. We should find out more information about the streaming service in just a few minutes. Update: After several hours, Disney finally revealed the price: $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year.
ESPN's college esports show debuts tonight at 9 PM ET
The line between esports and other competitions continues to blur, and the latest sign is a new show from ESPN that's about to air. College Esports Championship: Countdown will run every week, starting tonight at 9 PM ET. It's all leading up to the very first ESPN Collegiate Esports Championship (CEC) in May, as various schools compete in Overwatch, Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition, Hearthstone, StarCraft II and Heroes of the Storm. Viewers can watch on ESPN3, as well as Twitch, YouTube and Twitter. The show will be hosted by Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez and LeTigress, as they cover the week's collegiate esports action and its growing presence on campuses. It's not quite the March Madness you're used to, but who knows, maybe one day students will be standing behind esports commentators holding weird signs supporting their university. A YouTube stream for the show is embedded below.
UFC pay-per-view events will be available through ESPN+
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and ESPN announced today that UFC pay-per-view fights will be available exclusively to US audiences through ESPN+. The agreement will go into effect starting April 13th for UFC 236, featuring a rematch between lightweights Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier, and will run through 2025.
Tonight’s Bucks-Lakers NBA game will feature real-time data overlays
When the Milwaukee Bucks take on the Los Angeles Lakers tonight, fans will have the ability to watch the game in a way they have never seen before. On ESPN3, the sports network's online streaming service, the game will be presented with Full Court Press, an augmented broadcast designed by Second Spectrum. It will present information on screen in real time that fans would normally have to turn to to another screen to find.
ESPN+ adds personalized recommendations and offline viewing
ESPN is making some welcome (and arguably overdue) improvements to its ESPN+ service that could change how and where you watch. Its updated app now includes personalized recommendations for ESPN+, starting with on-demand videos. Watch a lot of hockey? You'll probably see more highlight clips from the latest NHL matches. Recommendations will "soon" spread to live and future events, so you might spot big matches you would otherwise miss.
