The cost of a subscription to ESPN’s direct-to-consumer streaming platform ESPN+ is rising by $1 per month to $5.99 (€5.34) for new customers from August 12.
It is the first price increase for the OTT streaming service since it debuted in April 2018, although existing subscribers will be able to keep paying the current $4.99-per-month rate for another year.
The annual price of $49.99 will not be changed, while Walt Disney Co’s new monthly bundle – which includes ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney+ and has been a key driver of subscriber acquisition for all three platforms – will remain at $12.99.
The price increase was first reported in July.
The reasons for the hike and the timing of the move remains unclear, and Disney did not comment on the impending switch.
ESPN+ recently hit 8.5 million subscribers, up from 7.9 million at the end of the prior quarter, representing a slightly improved growth rate as many American sports properties in recent weeks have restarted competition. The latest subscriber number remains more than triple its total from a year ago.
Disney’s streaming success during the last quarter has helped counter what was otherwise a historically poor quarter for the company.