Written from a sports-media perspective, but there's some interesting info here.
Videos
I know we will be getting interrogated ESPN Unlimited access within the YouTube TV app by the end of 2026. What about until then? I have seen some articles that reference being able to access ESPN Unlimited through the ESPN app, I can access the normal ESPN channels, but unable to access the programs, WWE, etc. Any information about getting access through the ESPN app? A year seems a long time to wait.
When I try to access ESPN+ content (NFL Turning Point show) in their app, I'm prompted to pay for a plan or link my TV Provider and YTTV is not one of the listed TV Providers. Is anybody seeing anything different than this? I'll assume we need to wait for this to go through.
update: according to Disney, SOME (not all) of ESPN Unlimited content will be integrated into the YTTV app in 2026. We should be getting access to all of ESPN Unlimited via the ESPN app in the near future. We do not yet have access because YTTV is not listed as an eligible TV Provider in the sign in if you try to access Plus/Unlimited content in the app.
At the end of this article it says "people who already have a pay TV subscription that includes ESPN will be able to access the streaming service for free." Does that mean if we subscribe to YoutubeTV we will get the new ESPN streaming service for free.
https://www.theverge.com/news/719716/espn-live-sports-streaming-service-launch-date-price
https://link.cnbc.com/public/41024342
“So, here’s what I can tell you: Disney has been able to get authentication rights from Charter, DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, Verizon Fios and some smaller pay TV operators.
That means ESPN’s direct-to-consumer product will not initially be available for Comcast Xfinity customers, YouTube TV subscribers, Dish satellite TV customers, Sling TV users or Cox cable subscribers
I’m told discussions with all of these pay TV providers are ongoing, and Disney hopes to have most of them done by the end of the year. It’s still unclear to me at this point if Disney can accelerate some of these discussions if their pay TV carriage renewals aren’t until 2026.
Long-term, ESPN plans to have authentication deals with every major pay TV distributor. Disney doesn’t want existing cable customers leaving the bundle just because ESPN is now available outside of it.
But when the application is ready for showtime on Aug. 21, there are going to be a bunch of pay TV subscribers who aren’t going to get their authentication access that they’re paying for. It’s possible this may lead to some pay TV distribution swapping. In other words, if I’m a YouTube TV subscriber and I want ESPN’s direct-to-consumer product now, maybe I switch to DirecTV or Charter, if I live in that territory.
I’m told that when ESPN does reach a deal with these pay TV operators, subscribers will receive an email from the distributor notifying them that they now have access.
This isn’t the most consumer-friendly of situations. There will be some people out there who pay for ESPN, don’t have authentication access on Aug. 21, spend the $29.99 for ESPN’s direct-to-consumer service, and then later receive authentication rights who don’t cancel and end up essentially double-paying for a service they’d get for free.”