OTT service launches with high expectations

Today, ESPN launches its much-anticipated ESPN+ direct-to-consumer streaming service featuring thousands of hours of live sports events and library content. 

The $4.99 offering – part of the network’s new re-imagined app that offers more personal and customizable elements for sports fans – will feature live Major League Baseball games through ESPN’s telecasts as well as the MLB.TV out-of-market package; all games from the MLS Live Major League Soccer package; live Top Rank Boxing fights; PGA Tour Golf and Canadian Football League contests.

Along with the ESPN+ service, the ESPN app will continue to offer authenticated live and on-demand programming for pay TV ESPN subscribers as well as scores, news, highlights and audio.

“I consider these offerings the beginning of a new era of innovation at ESPN,” said James Pitaro, ESPN president and co-chair, Disney Media Networks, who would not provide an estimated subscriber count for ESPN+.

“Our DNA is all about innovation – it’s a big part of our legacy – and we believe that we now have an opportunity to serve sports fans in new and innovative ways that quite honestly no one else can,” he added.

ESPN executive vice president and CTO Aaron LaBerge spoke with Multichannel News senior content producer – programming R. Thomas Umstead to take a more in-depth look at the new and improved ESPN App as well as to talk about the value of ESPN+ in a very crowded TV sports field.

Read More: Q&A with Aaron LaBerge at multichannel.com