Media

ESPN announces launch date for new standalone streaming app

On Tuesday, ESPN announced it had reached a landmark deal with the NFL.

FILE - A television camera is viewed during an ESPN broadcast in the first half of a WNBA basketball game between the Connecticut Sun and the Minnesota Lynx, July 26, 2020, in Bradenton, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

By Chad Finn

1 minute to read

ESPN finally has a launch date for its stand-alone streaming service, and it’s coming soon.

Parent company Disney announced Wednesday that the direct-to-consumer app – also named ESPN – will launch on Thursday, August 21. “Variety” broke the news of the launch date.

The price point — $29.99 per month for the unlimited plan – has been public for several weeks. It will cost $35.99 per month when bundled with Disney+ and Hulu, both Disney-owned streaming services.

The timing of the launch – which will feature a variety of live sports — nearly coincides with the start of the NFL and college football seasons. On Tuesday, ESPN announced it had reached a landmark deal with the NFL, in which the league will take a 10-percent stake in the network, while ESPN will take over the NFL Network and other NFL-owned media properties.

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ESPN also announced Wednesday that it had reached an agreement with the WWE for exclusive US rights to events such as WrestleMania, the Royal Rumble, and SummerSlam, which will be available on the app beginning in 2026.

The app will provide access to ESPN’s networks currently available on cable and other streaming services, including the ESPN flagship, ESPN2, and the SEC Network.

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Chad Finn

Sports columnist

Chad Finn is a sports columnist for Boston.com. He has been voted Favorite Sports Writer in Boston in the annual Channel Media Market and Research Poll for the past four years. He also writes a weekly sports media column for the Globe and contributes to Globe Magazine.

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