ESPN, Fox to offer bundle of forthcoming streaming services
ESPN, Fox to offer bundle of forthcoming streaming services
While it is not the resurrection of Venu Sports, strands of the ill-fated streamer have been rejuvenated in this deal
Venu Sports perished for a new bundle to be born. Eight months after the planned sports-focused joint venture between Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery was officially scuttled thanks to a lawsuit brought by sports-centered streamer Fubo, two of the original architects of the JV are back in business. On Monday, Deadline reported that Disney and Fox would be bundling their respective forthcoming streaming services, both set to launch on Thursday, Aug. 21.
Key Details:
- The more the Merrier?: ESPN and Fox’s forthcoming streamers will be bundled together for $40 per month.
- Worth the wait?: Both ESPN ultimate and Fox One will launch on Aug. 21, but the bundle will not be available until Oct. 2.
- Venu Redux?: Disney and Fox — along with Warner Bros. Discovery — attempted to launch a sports streaming joint venture that ultimately failed thanks to a lawsuit.
While Fox One and the standalone ESPN app are both set to become available next week as the NFL and college football seasons approach, the ability to bundle the two streamers will still be a few weeks away. Cord-cutters will be able to sign up for the services together beginning on Thursday, Oct. 2. ESPN unlimited — the new platform’s tier that includes livestreams of the brand’s cable networks — will retail at $30 per month, while Fox One will come in at $20 monthly. However, the bundle will shave $10 off the total price to come in at $40. For reference, Venu was slated to run $43 per month when it was set to launch last fall.
The two platforms will bring together an impressive number of sports rights and cable channels. While all of ESPN’s assets will be sports-focused, Fox One will include news, weather, and local channels as well. The ESPN app will feature ACC Network, ACC Network Extra, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, SEC Network, and SEC Network+, as well as all ESPN content on ABC. It will also feature content currently found on ESPN+. On the other side of the bundle, Fox One will include Big Ten Network, Fox, Fox Business Network, FOX Deportes, Fox News, FS1, FS2, and FOX Weather, as well as local Fox affiliates and streamers Fox Nation and B1G+.
“Working with Fox One on this bundle offer allows us to bring ESPN’s world-class sports content to even more fans in a seamless and innovative way,” ESPN EVP for Disney platform distribution Sean Breen said in a statement. “This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to delivering premium experiences across platforms and meeting consumers where they are – anytime, anywhere.”
As football season approaches, between the two platforms, bundle customers will have access to the vast majority of major college football games throughout the season, as well as a good portion of NFL games, especially after Disney and NFL's megadeal is officially completed and NFL Network falls under the auspices of the worldwide leader in sports. In addition, there will be college basketball, NBA, WNBA, NHL, NASCAR, Formula One, UFC, international soccer (including the FIFA World Cup), PGA golf, dozens of college sports and championships, and much more.
“Announcing ESPN as our first bundle partner is evidence of our desire to deliver the best possible value and viewing experience to our shared customers,” Fox’s SVP Tony Billetter said. “Viewers will have access to an incredible portfolio of content through this bundle, including NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, College Football and Basketball, NASCAR, INDYCAR, UFC, as well as the upcoming FIFA World Cup, and more as we continue to look for opportunities to streamline the user experience, especially for the ultimate sports fan.”
Both companies have insisted that their platforms are aimed at cord-nevers, or people who are not already getting the content from these channels via traditional pay-TV avenues. For ESPN, that means that its new platform will be available for subscription, but also to anyone who already has ESPN via a cable, satellite, or live TV streaming subscription. At present, Fox has not made a similar concession for Fox One.
Interestingly, but perhaps not coincidentally, Pete Disted was named as the CEO for Fox One earlier this year, just 11 months after being named to the same position at Venu Sports.
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Fox One
Launched August 21, 2025, Fox One is a direct-to-consumer streaming service from Fox Corporation. Billed as a “major digital initiative,” Fox One brings together the full range of Fox’s leading news, sports, and entertainment brands, offering live and on-demand access in one unified platform.
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ESPN
ESPN is a TV channel that you can watch with a live TV streaming service.
- DIRECTV MySports
- $44.99 / month
- Sling TV Essentials
- $19.99 / month
