ESPN App Review: A Fantastic Option for Cord-Cutting Sports Fans

Streaming Smarter says: For sports fans, the ESPN app is a long-awaited godsend. It brings together some of the most important sporting events on one platform. If you have an antenna, this is a giant leap forward. If you’re an NHL fan, there’s no better value. For sheer number of sports, it’s simply the best streaming app we’ve ever seen, but the app itself has a lot of room for improvement.

What Are the Pros and Cons of ESPN’s Streaming App?

What Does the ESPN App Cost?

There are two tiers of the ESPN app – ESPN Select and ESPN Unlimited.

ESPN Select is what they used to call ESPN+. This option has limited sports and it costs $11.99/month or $119.99/year.

Most people will want the fully loaded sports lineup of ESPN Unlimited for $29.99/month or $299.99/year.

Can You Bundle the ESPN App with Other Streaming Services?

You have the option to get ESPN Unlimited with Disney+ and Hulu for the same price you’d normally pay for ESPN Unlimited alone. It’s a no-brainer. Take the free stuff.

The price is $29.99/month for the first 12 months before jumping to $35.99.

You can also bundle FOX One with ESPN Unlimited for $39.99/month.

Bundle ESPN Unlimited and NFL+ Premium for a total of $39.99. You’ll get NFL Network and NFL RedZone! To access this add-on, just sign up for ESPN Unlimited or the bundle with Hulu and Disney+, then add NFL+ in your account settings.

Sometimes the original bundles are the best. Sign up for Hulu + Live TV and you’ll get a generous live TV package plus free Disney+, ESPN Unlimited, and Hulu on-demand. This option ensures you’ll get sports the other bundles don’t offer, like those on NBC and CBS.

Also note that ESPN Unlimited is free if you have a DIRECTV or Fubo package that carries ESPN.

Right now, you can’t unlock ESPN Unlimited for free with Sling TV or YouTube TV.

Can You Get a Discount on the ESPN App?

The price-per-streamer drops as you configure bundles, so that’s the way to go.

Can You Watch the ESPN App for Free?

While there is no direct free trial for the ESPN App, you can access it with a free trial of DIRECTV, Fubo, or Hulu + Live TV.

What Channels Are Available on the ESPN App?

If you choose ESPN Unlimited, you get access to some of the most important sports channels possible:

• ESPN
• ESPN2
• ESPNU
• SECN
• ACCN
• ESPNEWS
• ESPN Deportes
• ESPN on ABC (aka ESPN3)
• ESPN+
• SECN+
• ACCNX
• NFL Network (eventually)

If you choose ESPN Select, there are live events from ESPN+, but no true linear channels.

What Shows Can You Watch on the ESPN App?

You can watch anything from any of the TV channels listed above. Some popular shows you can see include:

• SportsCenter
• Get Up
• First Take
• NFL Live
• The Pat McAfee Show
• Pardon the Interruption
• College GameDay
• NBA Today
• Inside the NBA
• The Rich Eisen Show
• 30 for 30 films
• ESPN Originals

What Sports Can You Watch on the ESPN App?

With the ESPN Unlimited plan, you have an incredible lineup of sports.

• Football, including NFL
• Baseball, including MLB
• Basketball, including NBA
• Hockey, including NHL with 1,000+ out-of-market games
• MMA, but it’s losing UFC rights next year
• NCAA sports, including 40 NCAA championships
• Soccer
• Golf, including The Masters, PGA Championship, PGA TOUR, and TGL
• Tennis, including Australian Open, Wimbledon, and US Open
• Little League World Series baseball and softball
• Softball
• Lacrosse
• Motor Sports
• Boxing
• Cricket
• Fishing
• Starting Sept. 20: WWE premium live events at no extra cost

Does the ESPN App Offer 4K Broadcasts?

In theory, ESPN does have 4K broadcasts, but they’re only upscaled 1080p and you probably won’t see them in the app. It’s a glaring omission for sports fans.

Does the ESPN App Have Multiview?

Yes, multiview is sometimes available in the ESPN app. Unfortunately, ESPN sets the multiview channels, so you can’t pick and choose what you see.

Multiview is only available on select devices, including Android TV, Fire TV, Roku, Samsung, LG, Comcast, Cox, and Charter.

Does the ESPN App Require a Contract?

Subscribe to ESPN for as little as one month. Cancel anytime. You’re not locked in unless you choose an annual plan.

Does the ESPN App Have a DVR?

There is no DVR on the ESPN app, but virtually everything is available on-demand.

What Streaming Devices are Compatible with the ESPN App?

How Many Simultaneous Devices Can Stream the ESPN App?

You can stream the ESPN app on up to 3 devices at the same time.

Can You Add the ESPN App as a Prime Video Channel?

Unfortunately, Disney’s streaming services (including ESPN) are not available through Prime Video.

Who Should Subscribe to the ESPN App?

If you’re a hockey fan, this is a no-brainer. The ESPN app gives you nearly every out-of-market hockey game for every team in the NHL. Even better, you can get it on the less expensive ESPN Select plan. So if you love the NHL, sign up now.

If you’re smart enough to use an antenna to watch sports on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX, the ESPN app provides the cheapest-ever way to access some all-important channels. As a new convert to the Antenna Army, I really love the ESPN direct streaming option.

I do not believe ESPN’s app is a silver bullet to eliminate the need for a full channel package. Most sports fans need several channels beyond what ESPN can offer. But if you have a narrow interest in sports or if this completes a gap from other streamers you may have, it’s a truly unique offer.