ESPN and Fox to Offer Combined Streaming Subscription for $39.99

The firms said on Monday that Fox Corp. and Disney’s ESPN will combine their planned direct-to-consumer streaming services into a single package.

The action is taken as media companies try to attract more customers to their streaming options, namely through sports.

Both businesses revealed more details about the new streaming choices last week. Prior to the NFL and college football seasons, Fox’s Fox One and ESPN’s streaming service, which shares the same name as the TV network, will both debut on August 21.

However, starting on October 2, the bundled apps will be offered for $39.99 a month. Fox One will cost $19.99 a month, while ESPN will cost $29.99.

The streaming services are not precisely the same, even if the bundle would give sports fans a larger selection at a lower cost.

With all of its live sports and programs from its TV networks, including ESPN2 and the SEC Network, as well as ESPN on Disney-owned ABC, ESPN’s main service will be an all-in-one app. In addition, the app will feature documentaries, studio programming, additional betting tie-ins, and fantasy goods.

Additionally, ESPN will sell its app for $35.99 per month when combined with Disney+ and Hulu, two of the company’s other streaming services. For the first 12 months, that Disney package will be available for a discounted $29.99 per month, which is the same price as the standalone app.

When ESPN signed a deal with the WWE last week for the U.S. rights to the largest live events in the wrestling league, such as WrestleMania, the Royal Rumble, and SummerSlam, starting in 2026, the streaming app’s content was further strengthened. Additionally, the NFL and the sports media giant came to a deal whereby ESPN will purchase the NFL Network and other media properties from the league.

However, the Fox One service will be somewhat different. For years following the debut of its rivals’ platforms, Fox had been largely absent from the direct-to-consumer streaming market. It announced just this year that it would provide a streaming service for all of its content from its broadcast and pay TV networks, including news and entertainment. There won’t be any original or original content on Fox One.

After abandoning its plans to develop Venu, a joint sports streaming venture with Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery, Fox entered the direct-to-consumer streaming market, excluding its Fox Nation app and the free, ad-supported streamer Tubi.

During separate earnings calls last week, Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch and Disney CEO Bob Iger both stated that they were looking into ways to bundle their services with one another. Murdoch has stated that Fox will rely on bundles with other streaming services since the release of the Fox One app.

In a statement released on Monday, Tony Billetter, SVP of strategy and business development for FOX’s direct to consumer sector, stated, “The announcement of ESPN as our first bundle partner is evidence of our desire to deliver the best possible value and viewing experience to our shared customers.”