 | It has been suggested that this article bemerged withESPN (streaming service). (Discuss) Proposed since May 2025. |
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Type of site | Sports broadcasting |
|---|---|
| Owner | ESPN Inc. |
| Revenue | unknown |
| URL | www |
| Launched | October 25, 2010; 15 years ago (2010-10-25) |
| Current status | Defunct (selected territories); functionality transferred toESPN.com, ESPN app,ESPN+ and ESPN Player |
ESPN began offering aTV Everywhere platform in 2010, allowing subscribers on participatingtelevision providers in the United States to stream programming from ESPN'slinear television channels online, onmobile devices, and ondigital media players. The platform currently offers live streams of programming fromESPN,ESPN2,ESPN3,ESPNU,ESPNews,ESPN Deportes,ACC Network,SEC Network,ESPN+, andLonghorn Network, as well as supplemental programming from the channels (includingalternate feeds and live events not carried on linear television).
The service first launched as a website known asESPN Networks, with a pilot initially involvingTime Warner Cable, and laterBright House Networks andVerizon Fios. In April 2011, ESPN launched amobile app with similar functionality known asWatchESPN; in August 2011, the ESPN Networks website was brought under the WatchESPN branding as well. In 2015, ESPN began to integrate WatchESPN's streaming functionality into the main ESPN mobile app. In 2017, ESPN began to phase out the WatchESPN branding, and began an on-air promotional campaign directing viewers to the ESPN app. The standalone WatchESPN app and website were discontinued in 2019, with its functionality now contained withinESPN.com and the ESPN app.
In 2018, ESPN launched a standalone direct-to-consumer (DTC) product known asESPN+, which primarily carries live events similar toESPN3 that are not available on ESPN's linear networks, as well as other original studio and documentary programs. The service does not include content from the main ESPN networks, which can only be obtained via a television subscription, and are not currently available on a DTC basis.
In May 2025, ESPN announced a major revamp of its streaming operations to launch in late-2025 (initially referred to internally as ESPN's"flagship direct-to-consumer service"), which will see ESPN+ content become available to existing ESPN subscribers, and the main ESPN networks become available on a direct-to-consumer basis for the first time.
WatchESPN originally launched on October 25, 2010, whenTime Warner Cable became the first cable television provider to offer ESPN Networks, which provided subscribers to ESPN an online simulcast of the channel through a dedicated website.[1]Bright House Networks (for which Time Warner Cable handles distribution agreements) began offering ESPN Networks on November 22, 2010.[2] On January 25, 2011, ESPN Networks added streaming simulcast feeds of ESPN2 and ESPNU, as well asout-of-market sports packages ESPN Goal Line and ESPN Buzzer Beater to the website, accessible only to subscribers of those services.[3]Verizon Fios began providing access to streams on the ESPN Networks website on February 17, 2011.[4]
On April 7, 2011, ESPN released a mobile app called WatchESPN on theApp Store forApple devices, using the same subscriber authentication functionality to allow access to simulcasts of the available ESPN channels on the service via theiPhone,iPad andiPod Touch; the app was released on the Android Market (nowGoogle Play) on May 9, 2011.[5][6] The ESPN Networks website was subsequently rebranded under the WatchESPN name on August 31, 2011 (the "Watch" branding would later be extended to otherTV Everywhere services from ESPN co-ownerDisney–ABC Television Group, including those forABC,Disney Channel/XD/Junior andFreeform; the apps for Disney's children's networks were later merged into a single app branded asDisneyNow),[7][8][9][10]
On May 8, 2012,Comcast began allowing authenticatedXfinity TV customers access to WatchESPN's streams via the app, as part of a deal in which the streams available on WatchESPN would also be made available on Xfinity's 'watch now' website.[11] On August 28, 2012,Midco began allowing access to WatchESPN's simulcasts for its customers.[12]Charter added access to the service in mid-February 2013.[13]Dish Network, the first satellite provider to provide access to WatchESPN, announced it had added the service on April 1, 2014.[14]
Longhorn Network andSEC Network programs were added to the service upon SEC Network's launch on August 14, 2014 (Longhorn Network was contractually limited toBig 12 states, and not available nationwide through WatchESPN).ESPN Classic was never made available on WatchESPN due to a lack of live sports rights and licensing limitations, along with a general move to avideo on demand model.[15]
In 2015, ESPN began to integrate streaming functionality into its mainmobile app. In August 2017, ESPN began to significantly downplay the WatchESPN brand in favor of promoting the ESPN app, including an advertising campaign coinciding with college football season and theUS Open.[16] ESPN withdrew the WatchESPN app from the App Store and Google Play on July 1, 2019, and redirected the web presence of WatchESPN to an equivalent section on ESPN.com.[17]
In 2018, ESPN launched a standalonedirect-to-consumer subscription service known asESPN+, which primarily carries events or coverage not available on ESPN's linear channels, as well as other original programming.[18][19] Some of its programming was formerly carried on ESPN3, thus effectivelypaywalling it. The service also does not include programming from ESPN's linear channels.[20][21]
In May 2023,The Wall Street Journal reported that ESPN was developing adirect-to-consumer,over-the-top subscription service internally codenamed "Flagship", which would primarily feature the programming of the main ESPN linear networks; the service would make their content available on a fully standalone basis for the first time, as they were previously only available as part of traditional subscription TVbundles offered bycable,satellite, andvirtual MVPD providers.[22]
As part of this project, ESPN was reported to be in negotiations with television providers and sports leagues to give it the flexibility to launch such a service;[22] in 2023 and 2024 respectively, Disney reached new carriage agreements withCharter Communications andDirecTV that included rights to distribute "Flagship" at no additional cost to existing ESPN subscribers.[23][24] On February 7, 2024, Disney chief executiveBob Iger announced during an earnings call that the service would launch in late August or fall 2025.[25] The new service was initially referred to by ESPN and Disney as the "ESPN flagship direct-to-consumer service", with externaltrade media referring to the service as "ESPN Flagship" or simply "Flagship" pending an official announcement.[26][27][28]
In May 2025, Iger confirmed that "Flagship" would be available "automatically" for all existing ESPN subscribers on televising providers, confirming it would also serve as a successor to ESPN's current TVE platform.[29] During the Disneyupfront on May 13, ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro officially announced the new ESPN streaming platform and DTC service, which are expected to launch in fall 2025. The service will not be marketed under a distinct branding, in order to signify that it will be ESPN's core offering for all subscribers regardless of platform, and to avoidsuffixes (such as "plus") common to the branding of other streaming platforms.[30][31][32]
The ESPN DTC service will be available in two tiers, with a "Select" plan at $11.99 that will consist of the existing ESPN+ content, and an "Unlimited" plan at $29.99 per-month that adds programming from all ESPN linear channels, as well asESPN on ABC telecasts. Existing subscribers will be migrated to the new offering. The service will be available viaThe Disney Bundle.[31][32] It will be distributed via updated versions of the ESPN apps,[33][34] with subscribers also receiving access to new features integrating with ESPN'sfantasy sports platform and theESPN Betsportsbook, the ability to generate customized editions ofSportsCenter tailored to a user's interests, as well as new ticketing and merchandising capabilities.[35][30][36] Some reports have suggested the service will eventually include the ability to hostuser-generated content.[37]
Simulcasts of the ESPN channels available on the WatchESPN app and website (including ESPN Goal Line and ESPN Buzzer Beater) were available through TV Everywhere subscription authentication through a number of providers which expanded through the years after new carriage agreements were negotiated. In 2015, as part of a new agreement with The Walt Disney Company,DirecTV (the largest holdout among major pay TV providers) added authentication rights to WatchESPN for its subscribers.[38] Two major IPTV providers, Dish's Sling TV andPlayStation Vue, also offered authentication to WatchESPN.
ESPN3, a similar service that had operated separately from WatchESPN until it was integrated into the service in 2011, is available through many other cable providers including those listed above. In all cases, a TV Everywhere login (or other login code for university and military customers) through a customer's service provider is required to access the services; ESPN3 is also accessible without login if the user'sIP address can be traced to a participating ISP.
The WatchESPN.com website allowed viewers to view and switch between up to 20 events in a main viewing window, along with on-demand access after an event's end. The WatchESPN player additionally features four modules: Featured Events (which shows viewers highlights of live and upcoming events available on WatchESPN), Stats (which features statistics from the streamed event), the Chat 140 section (which allowed fans to discussion the events with other fans; this was later withdrawn as ESPN removed commenting functionality), andFacebook connect (which connects fans to their Facebook profile and allowed them to both post about the event that they are watching on their wall and discuss the event with other Facebook fans; this was also removed when ESPN removed commenting functionality).
WatchESPN was available through the ESPN app forAndroid andiOS, and the WatchESPN app forWindows Phone. In December 2015, WatchESPN's streaming features were integrated directly into the main ESPN app for Android and iOS, with the standalone WatchESPN app deprecated on these platforms.[39]
On June 19, 2013, the service became available throughApple TV. WatchESPN became available onRoku streaming players on November 12, 2013.[40]Chromecast support was added to the Android and iOS apps as part of an update released on June 3, 2014.[41] Eventually, these apps became known as the ESPN app over time and added other functionality.
The WatchESPN app became available for download for compatibleWindows 8 andWindows 8.1 devices from theWindows Store in February 2014, a version also compatible withWindows 10.[42] Support for the app was withdrawn on June 30, 2017.
The WatchESPN service is available for download for thePlayStation 4 andXbox One. The ESPN app for Xbox 360 was discontinued on March 23, 2016.[43]
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Owners:Walt Disney Company (80%);Hearst Communications (20%) | |||||||||||||||||||