Disney, the massive media company that owns Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, has officially announced a price bike for their streaming platforms set to take effect this fall. The trio currently ranks third, sixth, and eighth respectively in total subscribers among streaming services.
In a recent press release, Disney revealed that most monthly plans for the three streaming services will soon increase by $1 or $2. Among these changes is a significant adjustment to Hulu's plan that includes live TV - it is set to increase by $6 each month. These price changes will become official on October 17th.
Subscribers opting for ad-supported plans to either Disney+ or Hulu will soon have to pay $9.99 per month each. Ad-free plans cost even more money each month. ESPN+ currently only offers a plan with ads; starting October, sports fans will be charged $11.99 per month for the service.
Encouraging bundle subscriptions
Disney is essentially trying to encourage their customers to opt for bundle packages rather than picking individual streaming services. The bundle featuring Disney+ and Hulu (both with ads) is currently priced at $9.99 per month but this too will go up by $1 in the fall.
However, there's good news as well - the bundle including both these streaming services without ads will remain at its current rate of $19.99 each month. Including ESPN+ in an ad-supported bundle costs subscribers just $14.99 per month – saving them 44% compared to purchasing all three separately.
Disney also recently revealed another enticing package that includes Max along with Disney+ and Hulu available together with ads at a monthly fee of just $16.99 while going ad-free would cost users around 38% less than if they were purchased individually at a rate of 29$.
ESPN+ is hub for football fans in US
Despite the price bikes, ESPN+ remains crucial to many American soccer fans. The streaming service has experienced significant changes in recent years, including losing exclusive broadcasting rights to several top soccer competitions such as Serie A, Major League Soccer, the EFL Championship, Carabao Cup and multiple international tournaments. However, ESPN+ is still home to some major competitions like Spain’s LaLiga and Germany’s Bundesliga matches which are currently the main draws for American soccer fans. The service also regularly features other tournaments like FA Cup, Eredivisie, USL Championship and Belgian Pro League among others.
The news of the price bikes was added at the end of a press release about a new feature coming to Disney+. The company announced that they are adding continuous playlists to their streaming service this September. This includes an ABC News Live playlist just in time for the 2024 Presidential Election along with coverage of other breaking news and live events. Another playlist will be catered towards preschool content - both these additions will soon be accessible by every Disney+ subscriber.
While there may be price increases on individual plans across Disney's streaming platforms; bundle packages offer considerable savings making them an attractive option for consumers looking for diverse entertainment options.
