ESPN has announced a price increase for its Unlimited service. The monthly subscription will go up from $29.99 to $31.99. The annual option will rise from $299.99 to $319.99.
The ESPN Select plan will also see an increase, from $12.99 to $13.99 per month and from $129.99 to $139.99 annually. The price for the Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited bundle will stay at $36 each month. This price is for the versions with ads.
The new prices will take effect from September 17. Customers have a few weeks to decide whether to continue their subscription.
The price change will not affect those who subscribe through the ESPN, Hulu, and Disney+ bundle. It is not yet known if other bundles will be affected.
ESPN Unlimited was launched about a year ago. It has been the home for WWE premium live events since September of last year.
Why ESPN Raises Prices for Unlimited Subscription?
ESPN has announced its first price increase for ESPN Unlimited, its direct-to-consumer streaming service. The changes will take effect on September 17, 2026.
Companies are raising prices because they want to make a profit. This is a big trend for all streaming apps right now. Making new shows and buying the rights to show sports cost a lot of money.
ESPN made this big deal with WWE in September 2025. It was to show their biggest live shows on the ESPN Unlimited app. ESPN spends a lot of money to be the only place to stream these special events.
The increase is also strategically timed to coincide with the start of the football season. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said the company is in the early innings of its direct-to-consumer journey.
By implementing the change as college football and NFL seasons begin, ESPN aims to capitalize on the surge in viewer interest. Finally, the company is under pressure to build sustainable revenue streams in the streaming era as traditional cable subscriptions decline.
ESPN Pushes WWE to Add More Matches to Paid PLE Content
ESPN has reportedly asked WWE to add more matches to the paid portion of its premium live events.
WWE PLEs moved from Peacock to ESPN last September. Since then, they have aired on the ESPN Unlimited streaming platform in the US and on Netflix internationally. Earlier this year, ESPN began airing the first two matches of WWE PLEs on its cable channel instead of exclusively on the Unlimited service.
A report from WrestleVotes Radio says ESPN has made additional requests. They approached WWE about adding extra matches to Night of Champions to strengthen the paid portion of the show. For the past year, PLEs that were not part of the big four events were five matches long. Two matches would air on ESPN, and three would air on Unlimited.
At Night of Champions, the change was made. Two matches aired on ESPN. Four took place on Unlimited for paid subscribers only.
ESPN Unlimited: Everything You Need To Know
ESPN launched a direct-to-consumer streaming service in August 2025. It gives sports fans a better app and new ways to watch games directly.
There are two plans available.
The ESPN Unlimited Plan costs $31.99 each month or $319.99 each year. It gives you all ESPN channels, ESPN+, and ESPN sports on ABC. Subscribers get over 47,000 live events per year, including NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, golf and tennis majors, top college sports, and WWE premium live events.
The ESPN Select Plan costs $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year. It includes access to ESPN+ only. Subscribers get over 32,000 live events, including soccer, the PGA Tour, NHL, UFC, and select college sports.
Both plans include ads during live events and studio shows. Bundle options with Disney+ and Hulu are also available.
The enhanced ESPN app integrates game stats, betting information, fantasy sports, and multiview options. All features are available within the existing ESPN App on mobile devices and connected TVs.
Existing ESPN+ subscribers will become subscribers to the ESPN Select Plan. Current Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ bundle subscribers will become subscribers to a Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ Select bundle.
Two major deals were announced in August 2025. ESPN acquired the NFL Network and other NFL media assets. This deal gave the NFL a 10% stake in ESPN. ESPN also acquired the NFL’s fantasy product. WWE also reached an agreement with ESPN. This made WrestleMania and other premium live events part of the streaming service starting in 2026.
FAQs.
Q. How much will ESPN Unlimited cost monthly?
A. ESPN Unlimited will cost $31.99 per month
Q. How much will ESPN Select cost monthly?
A. ESPN Select will cost $13.99 per month.
Q. Will the Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN bundle increase?
A. No. The ad-supported bundle will remain at $36 monthly.
Q. Where did WWE PLEs previously stream?
A. WWE PLEs previously streamed on Peacock in the United States.
Q. Where do WWE PLEs stream internationally?
A. WWE PLEs stream internationally on Netflix.
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