The Missouri Valley Conference announced that selected regular-season digital productions, including several Illinois State broadcasts, plus post-season championship coverage in May will be distributed on ESPN+—the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company Direct-to-Consumer and International group in partnership with ESPN.
Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 per month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time. Launching on Thursday, April 12, ESPN+ subscribers will receive thousands of additional live events, original shows and films, and an on-demand library, which is not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks. ESPN+ will not include access to stream ESPN’s existing linear networks and ESPN3.
The Valley, which is in the fourth year of a 10-year national rights-holding agreement with ESPN, will start its programming schedule on ESPN+ on April 13. Another 79 MVC events – all originally slated for distribution on ESPN3 will be featured on ESPN+. Regular-season softball (32) and baseball (22) plus post-season championships for those sports as well as outdoor track and field comprise the 2017-18 league offerings on ESPN+.
Already the leading sports app, the new ESPN App will give sports fans an unmatched, one-stop digital sports platform that provides easy, dynamic access to everything ESPN offers. The new, redesigned and re-imagined app will include three core offerings to fans.
- News, Scores, Highlights & Audio
- TV Everywhere streaming
- ESPN+. The News, Scores, Highlights & Audio section will feature the same services that millions of fans turn to the ESPN App for today — through a new, dynamic and more personalized user interface.
TV Everywhere streaming will continue to provide authenticated access to ESPN’s linear networks and ESPN3 for pay TV subscribers.
For the remainder of the Spring 2018 term, other Conference- produced live content will continue to be available on The Valley on ESPN3 — the league’s co-branded digital network with ESPN. In addition to the 80 MVC events that will be available on ESPN+, an additional 33 softball and 23 baseball productions will also be shown on ESPN3.
If fans have any questions about the new ESPN App or ESPN+, please contact the ESPN customer care team online at support.espn.com, by phone at (888) 549-ESPN or through the ESPN App Live Chat Feature. ESPN Customer Support is available from 9–1 a.m. ET, seven days a week.
Changing the terms of an already in place ten year deal to squeeze more money out of what audience remains and lose other possible viewers. What sense does this make?