The Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ bundle is here and fully functional. Disney+ added an ESPN tile and hub on its platform, meaning that subscribers to the bundle will now be able to seamlessly access all three services in the U.S.
Subscribers should feel the benefits of this expansion right away. In the first 90 days of this offering, bundle subscribers can expect 5,000 live events, including games and events from the NFL, NBA, NHL, College Basketball and Australian Open, according to Senior Vice President of ESPN+ John Lasker.
“This launch really puts a cherry on top of a fantastic year of innovation at Disney+,” Alisa Bowen, President of Disney+, said in a blog about the unveiling. “Earlier in the year, we made Hulu available in the Disney+ app, and now we’re doing the same for ESPN+. This gives our bundle subscribers one place to consume everything they love from all our brands.”
Each year, ESPN+ offers access to more than 30,000 live sports events, including games and events from the MLB, WNBA, college sports, tennis and golf. This is in addition to the platform’s library of on-demand replays as well as its original content and studio programming.
The company also has something in store for standalone Disney+ subscribers. ESPN and Hulu tiles will be visible to all subscribers, allowing everyone to check out what the other two hubs have to offer. Standalone subscribers will also be given access to a curated selection of live sports events, studio shows and ESPN Films from ESPN+. These will include “The Simpsons Funday Football” animated Monday Night Football game, five NBA games part of the league’s Christmas Day lineup and the “Dunk The Halls” animated NBA presentation. ESPN+ will also give standalone subscribers access to certain 30 For 30 documentaries and Day 1 coverage from the Australian Open.
Standalone Disney+ subscribers will also be given access to some of Hulu’s offerings, including FX originals like “Shōgun” and “Reservation Dogs,” ABC originals like “Will Trent,” Hulu originals like “Solar Opposites” and certain library selections like “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.”
This ESPN+ expansion goes a long way in cementing Disney’s status in the currently unfolding bundling wars. It also sets the stage for ESPN’s much-discussed straight-to-consumer product, which is currently expected to launch in the fall of 2025.
