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ESPN is one of those networks that has a well-known reputation. Most people know about it and many people swear by it. In fact, it is often compared to having ESP - which is famous for being in the movie "Mean Girls." Being tuned into ESPN is a way to have ESP for all of the sports you care about. They have built up a good reputation over the years and many people rely on them for news about sports
ESPN, it turns out, offers a streaming service that is useful for more than just sports news. In fact, ESPN's streaming service provides users with access to exclusive, original programming as well as an invaluable resource for keeping up with live games that they need to see.
Although it may not be possible to watch every play occur in real-time, there are premium services available that will allow you to hear about every highlight from every game. ESPN Plus is one of these services, and it is definitely one of the best out there.
That being said, there are still so many sports streaming services out there to choose from, so it can be hard to decide which one is right for you. To make the decision easier, you should first take a look at the streaming service and learn more about it. Then, you should also consider how much the monthly charge is before deciding whether or not ESPN Plus is the right choice for you. So without further ado, let us dive into one of the top premium sports streaming services on the market!
History
The Walt Disney Corporation acquired a minority stake in BAMTech, an offshoot of MLB Advanced Media's streaming technology endeavor in August of 2016. Disney bought their shares for $1 billion - this also came with an option to acquire a majority share down the road if the investment proved to pan out the way that the Disney execs thought it might. Around the same time, however, it was also announced that ESPN (a subsidiary of Disney) had designs to develop their own over-the-top streaming service, described at the time as ?an exploratory OTT project? that would broadcast primarily content and programming already owned by ESPN.
ESPN was already using BAMTech's technology, it turned out. Disney CEO Bob Iger acknowledged at the time that even though profits in the cable television industry were falling due to cord-cutting, "live sports has really thrived, even in a world where there's so much more for people to do and to watch."
In August of 2017, Disney invoked its right to acquire a majority stake in BAMTech. This announcement was bundled with the announcement that they would also be launching ESPN's OTT streaming service in 2018 (which was to be followed by Disney's own OTT service in 2019, which would become Disney Plus).
Disney claimed that its new streaming service, ESPN Plus, would draw content from its ESPN-owned rights to sports broadcasts. The redesign and redistribution of content on the ESPN app, then, would make it the "premier digital destination for sports content." Disney continued to take over digital media in the following few years.
In December of 2017, Disney announced its acquisition of 20th Century Fox. With this acquisition, Disney became obligated to abandon parts of the Fox Sports Network acquisition due to antitrust laws.
ESPN Plus has remained popular among sports streaming services, even after the announcement of a $4.99/month fee. In February of 2018, CEO James Iger stated that the service was aiming to be one of the most competitive in the premium digital streaming world, and on April 2nd, 2018, ESPN officially announced that ESPN Plus would be launching on April 12th. The service will have a $4.99/month price point.
ESPN announced that it merged its preexisting ESPN premium service under ESPN Plus on August 21st, 2018. This added access to the premium members' section of ESPN.com (including exclusive stories, and advanced sports statistics and analytics tools). ESPN Insider users were grandfathered into ESPN Plus, and the $10 difference in annual fees was waved.
Design
As expected with any Disney affiliated service, ESPN Plus offers a great app design. In fact, for anyone who has seen Disney Plus before, ESPN Plus should look quite familiar. Similar, of course, to the classic Netflix layout (with thumbnails of content to choose from that is organized by categories), ESPN Plus has opted for a larger icon layout. I like the way that ESPN Plus looks, I actually dig the larger thumbnails, I think that it makes for a slightly more immersive experience. ESPN (and Disney) Plus has always felt less like I am browsing a library of episodes and more like I am somehow interacting with different content options.
Overall, I think the design of ESPN Plus is sleek. But even more importantly, it is user-friendly and seamless. By selecting a certain title, you will be given plenty of information on that title without necessarily having to click into a new page (the same cannot be easily said of Hulu or Netflix's somewhat clumsy designs). This allows for easy and convenient content browsing, the likes of which are seldom seen, especially when it comes to sports streaming services.
Content
This is another area in which ESPN Plus shines. ESPN Plus offers a great blend of live sports broadcasts, exclusive pay per view events, original TV content, as well as tons of news beats and stats that you just can't find on any other sports network. As far as live TV is concerned, ESPN Plus offers thousands of games, including MLB, NHL, Series A, FA Cup, Top Rank Boxing, and MLS events. Plus, ESPN Plus lets you watch Grand Slam Tennis and tons of live broadcasts of all your favorite college-level sports - football, basketball, even lacrosse.
ESPN Plus offers a huge amount of ESPN original programming, including shows that have analysis from some of the best players in history. Additionally, you have access to all of the ESPN 30 for 30 libraries and tons of other original sports documentaries. This provides you with an endless stream of on-demand content to enjoy - and don't forget your unlimited access to premium ESPN articles, stats analytics, and exclusive deals on PPV events.
Mobile and Desktop Experience
ESPN Plus has a high rating on the Apple App Store and is the Editor's Pick. Many people are happy with the app and find it convenient to use no matter what device they are using. Pause content on their Smart TV, for instance, and pick right back up where they left off on their iPhone or Android device.
Pricing and Plans
ESPN Plus offers great value at $4.99/month, with the added bonus of full access to ESPN Plus. You can also take advantage of a special offer for $12.99 which bundles ESPN Plus with Hulu and Disney Plus- this may be the best deal available online.
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