Sports fans won’t be able to entirely cut their ties to cable with ESPN Plus. The new streaming platform from the Disney-owned sports network. Because doesn’t provide them with enough live coverage. The people who need it all year round are UFC fight fans. Even though it gives the means to get their live sports fixed on the cheap, especially if their tastes are a touch off the beaten path.
If you want to watch ESPN’s high-profile programming, such as Monday Night Football, Monday Night Basketball, and NBA games. You’ll still need a cable subscription. The low-cost alternative, though, is ESPN Plus, which combines live sports with some original content. Fans of baseball, soccer, and lesser-known collegiate sports who want a daily broadcast may find it extremely interesting.
If its various applications had a few more user-friendly features. ESPN Plus would be much simpler to sell, but the recently debuted service is off to a strong start. Fans of the UFC and boxing essentially have to have it because the former’s PPVs are exclusive to the service and the latter’s are also available on ESPN Plus.
What will you see here?
Content
Although this isn’t something you’ll find on the cable channel, ESPN Plus prioritizes a lot of its own content. For instance, SportsCenter is reduced to a “best of” collection of its feature stories. Instead, you’ll receive ESPN Plus-only content like the documentary 30 for 30 about convicted basketball coach Bobby Knight and the BTS look at some of the best players hoping to be taken in the 2018 NFL draught, Draft Academy.
Additional unique content includes a nightly hockey highlight show. A basketball show presented by Kobe Bryant, and ESPN FC, a roundtable discussion show about soccer that has transferred from cable to this service. A collection of previous ESPN shows and documentaries is also available to you on demand.
If that were the only thing ESPN Plus has to offer, you might anticipate getting paid $5 a month to watch it. However, ESPN Plus’s live sports coverage is where its value resides. Daily Major League Baseball games are available. However, they are restricted by local blackout laws. For an additional $24.99 a month, MLB.TV can be added to ESPN Plus if you want to watch more baseball.
Cost and availability
The same applications and websites you use to monitor sports scores and news now let you access ESPN Plus. A new ESPN Plus tab has been inserted into the menu bar on the ESPN website. ESPN upgraded its ESPN app for Android and iOS to include a Watch tab that emphasizes ESPN Plus programming for customers on the go. ESPN Plus is now supported on Apple TV, and according to the sports network. The new service is also compatible with Android TV and Chromecast as well as Amazon devices.
If the cost of ESPN Plus ($69.99 annually or $6.99 monthly) sounds prohibitive, you can save a big amount of money by combining it with Hulu and Disney Plus. You receive all three for a monthly cost of $13.99, saving you almost $8 in comparison to the $21.97 total cost of the services. For the most recent deals, it’s also worthwhile to visit our page with ESPN Plus coupons.
However, since Hulu with Live TV now includes both ESPN Plus and Disney + for a total monthly cost of $70, having that subscription makes ESPN Plus free. However, Netflix releases a lot more new content each month than Hulu or Disney + does.
Performance
Once you’ve sorted through a somewhat disorganized menu to discover the specific sport you want to watch. You can anticipate a fairly satisfying viewing experience if ESPN Plus’s selection of sports appeals to you.
Regarding the streaming itself, which is provided in HD quality, I have no concerns. The action in an Aston Villa-Leeds game appeared clear and crisp enough for me to follow along on a 4-inch iPhone SE screen. You can pause the broadcast with the Pause button, and you can move backward and forward in time by sliding on a timeline. I wished the latter two options provided more precise control, such as a button to rewind for 30 seconds.
Tap on the calendar icon instead, at least in the mobile app. You can then sort the list of forthcoming events by network or sport. Naturally, there doesn’t seem to be a method to set a reminder for a live show that interests you. Even selecting the event from the Upcoming section simply displays a pop-up menu with the event’s date and time. There is no option to enable any notifications.
How to get ESPN Plus?
It is not too difficult to sign up for ESPN Plus. Simply connect it to your current ESPN account, or sign up using a different way, like Roku. A new or current ESPN account can be connected to your ESPN Plus subscription if you join up through Roku or another device.
What to Watch on ESPN Plus?
The on-demand content collection, which makes up a sizable portion of ESPN+, is another important component. There are documentary programs using well-known sportsmen as hosts, such as Peyton’s Places, a tour of the NFL’s past hosted by none other than Peyton Manning.
The Ronda Rousey-hosted Why We Fight program is another ESPN+-only program. Additionally, it serves as the streaming home for ESPN’s acclaimed 30 for 30 series, a must-watch collection of sports-related films.
Additionally, subscribers have access to live sports programs like SportsNation and The Max Kellerman Show, which are broadcast during particular times of the week. You won’t find some of the popular series that air on the main network on ESPN+, though, as it is more of a compliment service to the main ESPN networks.
Is ESPN Plus Worth It?
Weekly live sporting events are available on ESPN+, which is relatively reasonably priced. We do not advise using this as your primary platform to stream live sports or support your favorite team. However, due to the limited live sports feeds available.
Instead, it will serve sports fans best as a supplement to the primary ESPN network, which you will have to buy individually. But ESPN+ is a terrific choice if you want a cheap fix for sports, especially when combined with the Disney Bundle.
Conclusion
If you’re a lover of major league sports. ESPN Plus probably won’t offer you enough to make it worth your while to subscribe. Baseball fans who want to watch the everyday out-of-market game. But do not want to pay five times as much for MLB.TV’s more comprehensive package would be an exception. But ESPN Plus has plenty to offer if you’re genuinely passionate about sports. Other than the Big Four of baseball, basketball, football, and hockey, particularly with its large soccer portfolio. ESPN Plus won’t replace the cable, but it will meet the requirements of sports fans with a very specific set of interests.
