ESPN app will be centerpiece of company’s streaming revolution

One of the biggest business stories in sports media this year is the impending launch of ESPN’s direct-to-consumer streaming service.

The streamer, set to launch prior to football season, will include everything that Bristol has to offer: its entire family of linear networks, content that is now exclusive to ESPN+, and the oft-discussed personalized offerings that are designed to be a significant value-add for consumers. Now, it looks as if the project that has been internally codenamed “Flagship” since its inception, might be called ESPN All Access.

But beyond the name, more details are becoming clear for ESPN’s upcoming streaming service. CNBC’s Alex Sherman detailed a “two-pronged” approach that the Worldwide Leader is taking for the Flagship/All Access rollout.

Prong one, Sherman suggests, is a “flood the zone” strategy to market the streaming service. There will be an option to bundle it with other Disney offerings, a potential partnership with a telecom company that would offer subscriptions included in one’s phone plan, and other streaming bundles with companies beyond Disney.

Prong two is a much-needed upgrade to their digital app. The overhaul will include all of ESPN’s live games, an AI SportsCenter personalized to a user’s interests, the network’s library of documentaries, and integration with ESPN Bet. However, in order to get this beefed up version of the ESPN app, users will need to either subscribe to the direct-to-consumer service or have ESPN through a traditional pay TV package.

Per Sherman, “the ESPN app will become the hub of everything ESPN, no matter if you’re an authenticated cable subscriber or a cord cutter. While there will be an ESPN tab on Disney+ (this already exists, but it’s just for ESPN+ now), viewers will have to be in the ESPN app universe, with its bespoke look and user interface, to access all of the goodies.”

The success (or failure) of the network’s direct-to-consumer product could well determine the viability of the network long-term. At a reported price of $25 to $30 per month, it will be a difficult lift to attract subscribers, though bundling options will certainly help that effort.

And at this moment in time, the goal isn’t to have its streaming service replace traditional pay TV bundles, but rather attract consumers that are currently outside the pay TV ecosystem entirely.