Approximately three months after their respective launches, ESPN and Fox One appear to be on track to meet their initial subscriber goals. Executives from both companies urged patience regarding subscriber acquisition prior to the platforms’ launches in late August. The pricing strategy reflects a focus on attracting cord-cutters and those who have never had traditional pay TV. ESPN Unlimited is set at $30 per month, while Fox One is priced at $20.
Data from the research firm Antenna indicates that the growth of both services has been steady since their launches. ESPN has reached around 3 million subscribers for its direct-to-consumer app since its launch on August 21, with approximately 1.7 million opting for the ESPN Unlimited plan and 1.3 million subscribing to the ESPN Select plan, which was previously known as ESPN+. Notably, these figures do not account for existing ESPN subscribers who access the service through Disney bundles or traditional pay TV connections.
Meanwhile, Fox One has exhibited significant growth, jumping from an estimated 1.1 million subscribers at the end of September to approximately 2.3 million by the end of October. Remarkably, Fox One’s subscriber count has surpassed that of ESPN Unlimited, which includes all of ESPN’s linear networks.
Several factors contribute to this trend. Firstly, Fox One’s lower price point—$10 less than ESPN Unlimited—makes it a more attractive option for consumers. Additionally, Fox One’s availability through platforms like Amazon Prime Channels has proven advantageous; previous reports have highlighted that around 60% of Fox One’s signups come from such third-party services. In contrast, ESPN does not have similar availability. Moreover, the inclusion of news and entertainment programming on Fox One broadens its audience appeal beyond just sports, which might drive more subscriptions. Furthermore, some ESPN customers may find the basic ESPN Select plan sufficient for their needs, thus opting not to upgrade to ESPN Unlimited.
Despite the apparent preference for Fox One over ESPN Unlimited, both platforms have effectively tapped into a market of consumers who are not part of traditional pay TV bundles, indicating a successful strategy in the current streaming landscape. This success during the first 70 days of operation signifies solid incremental revenue for both ESPN and Fox, suggesting a promising future for their streaming endeavors.