The streaming service’s increased bids for more live sports content seems to be inching subscription prices higher.
As ESPN and Disney continue to look to take over more of the streaming entertainment market, they’re upping the price on their streaming services. Back in May Disney+ increased their prices from $6.99-per-month to $7.99, raising yearly subscription rates from $69.99 to $79.99. Now it’s the sports channel’s turn to squeeze a little more out of their subscriber market.
Deadline reports that ESPN+ subscribers can expect to see a price increase starting August, from $5.99-per-month to $6.99. Raising their yearly subscription rates from $69.99 to $79.99. That’s the second such increase from the Bristol, CT based cable network, which started the platform at $4.99-per-month back in 2018, Apparently that price increase will not be reflected in the Disney+Hulu+ESPN bundle pricing at the moment, or UFC PPVs, which have already increased from $59.99 in 2018, to $64.99 back in January of 2020. And rose again to $69.99 in January of 2021.
MMA Fighting reports that ESPN+ has reached as high as 13.8 million subscribers, per their last earnings report. That’s a major increase from 7.6 million subscribers in early 2020, much of which has been pegged as a result of the UFC’s exclusive broadcast deal with the platform.
Unfortunately for MMA fans, that means that while PPV prices may be staying level (for now), it just got that little bit more expensive to follow along with all the UFC action on a weekly basis. Hopefully some of that cash trickles down to the promotion’s coffers, since Dana White recently revealed that they’re on a very tight budget.