This article was last updated on December 2, 2025.
ESPN Unlimited (formerly known as ESPN Plus or ESPN+) is an over-the-top (OTT) sports-focused streaming service, available in the United States.
All that means is that ESPN unlimited brings you a selection of TV and film content via your existing internet connection. You just need is a subscription and a stable connection to stream. No installations, no faff.
ESPN's new-look subscription-based, sports centric streaming service has rebranded in recent months, simply dropping the '+' part. What that means is that the sports TV provider now has two tiers to pick from: ESPN Select (a bare bones option with limited live sporting events, access to the ESPN Originals Archive, and ESPN+ Studio Programming) and ESPN Unlimited (that includes everything in select, as well as a lot more live events and programming).
Anyone who was previously subscribed to ESPN+ has automatically been placed onto the select tier, now serving as its base plan, with unlimited offering more live sports content for a higher, top tier price.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about ESPN's rebrand from ESPN+ to ESPN Unlimited
Overall, ESPN is great value for fans of soccer, UFC, MMA, baseball, hockey, boxing, golf, and college sports. Football (NFL) and basketball (NBA) aren’t so strong coverage-wise, so we’d recommend making sure you have access to another streaming TV service for the bulk of your NFL and NBA kicks.
An ESPN subscription also gives you access to ESPN’s award-winning documentary series, films, sports shows, and the legendary ESPN Archives which has MLB footage dating back to 1996.
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What channels do you get with ESPN?
Subscribing to ESPN Unlimited gets you access to the following channels, providing you have an internet connection. (ESPN Select only provides access to ESPN+.)
| ESPN | ESPN2 |
| ESPN3 | ESPNU |
| ESPNEWS | SECN |
| ACCN | ESPN Deportes |
| ESPN+ | ESPN on ABC |
| SECN+ | ACCNX |
What's new to ESPN this month?
December sees an array of live sports content hit the streamer, including the following.
| Date | Time (ET) | Description | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/3 | 19:15 | Women's College Basketball: No.16 NC State v No.8 Oklahoma | ESPN2 |
| 12/3 | 21:15 | Women's College Basketball: No.15 Tennessee v Stanford | ESPN2 |
| 12/1 | 19:15 | Men's College Basketball: No.6 Louisville v No.21 Arkansas | ESPN |
| 12/4 | 17:00 | Women's College Basketball: Florida v Virginia Tech | ESPN2 |
| 12/4 | 19:00 | Women's College Basketball: No.2 South Carolina v No.21 Louisville | ESPN |
| 12/4 | 21:00 | Women's College Basketball: No.5 LSU v Drake | ESPN |
| 12/5 | 19:00 | Sunbelt Championship Game | ESPN |
| 12/5 | 19:00 | Men's College Basketball: No.13 Gonzaga v No.12 Kentucky | ESPN2 |
| 12/5 | 20:00 | American Championship Game | ABC |
| 12/6 | 12:00 | Big 12 Championship Game | ABC |
| 12/6 | 12:00 | MAC Championship Game | ESPN |
| 12/6 | 22:00 | UFC 323: Dvalishvili v Yan 2 | ESPN PPV |
| 12/7 | 07:55 | F1: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | ESPN2 |
| 12/8 | 20:15 | NFL Monday Night Football: Eagles v Chargers | ABC, ESPN |
| 12/9 | 21:00 | Jimmy V Men's Classic: No.10 Florida v No.3 UConn | ESPN |
| 12/10 | n/a | ESPN 30 for 30: Boo-Yah: A Stuart Scott Portrait | ESPN Original |
| 12/13 | 12:00 | College Football: Cricket Celebration Bowl | ABC |
| 12/14 | 13:00 | Women's College Basketball: Sprouts Farmers Market espnW Invitational: No.7 Baylor v No.4 Texas | ABC |
| 12/15 | 20:15 | Monday Night Football: Miami v Pittsburgh | ESPN |
| 12/16 | 21:00 | College Football: IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl | ESPN |
| 12/16 | n/a | Inside the College Football Playoff (Season 7) | ESPN Original |
| 12/17 | 17:00 | College Football: StaffDNA Cure Bowl | ESPN |
| 12/19 | 11:30 | College Football: Myrtle Beach Bowl | ESPN |
| 12/19 | 14:30 | College Football: Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl | ESPN |
| 12/19 | 20:00 | College Football: CFP First Round | ABC, ESPN |
| 12/20 | 12:00 | College Football: CFP First Round | ABC, ESPN |
| 12/22 | 14:00 | College Football: Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | ESPN |
| 12/22 | 20:15 | NFL Monday Night Football: 49ers v Colts | ESPN |
| 12/23 | 14:00 | College Football: Boca Raton Bowl | ESPN |
| 12/23 | 21:00 | College Football: Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl | ESPN |
| 12/24 | 20:00 | College Football: Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl | ESPN |
| 12/26 | 20:00 | College Football: SERVPRO First Responder Bowl | ESPN |
| 12/27 | 14:15 | College Football: Wasabi Fenway Bowl | ESPN |
| 12/27 | 17:45 | College Football: Isleta New Mexico Bowl | ESPN |
| 12/27 | 21:15 | College Football: Kinder's Texas Bowl | ESPN |
| 12/28 | n/a | E60: PAID TO PLAY: Understanding College Sports in 2025 | ESPN Original |
| 12/29 | 20:15 | NFL Monday Night Football: Rams v Falcons | ESPN |
| 12/31 | 15:30 | College Football: SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl | ESPN |
| 12/31 | 19:30 | College Football: CF Quarterfinal at Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic | ESPN |
READ MORE: How to watch live sports on ESPN: stream live soccer, MLB, NFL, NBA
ESPN original series and films
There are hundreds of titles and many hours worth of sports series and films to watch. So, rather than list them all, here are some of the best reviewed on the platform to date.
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30 for 30 documentary series
You’ll probably have heard of them, even if you haven’t watched them. The ESPN 30 for 30 documentary series is regarded as some of the best sports documentaries on the market and the platform has received more than a few accolades as a result.
They were first released in 2009, to celebrate ESPN's 30th anniversary and were such a home run, that ESPN continued to produce them for over a decade. There are plenty of great releases, like Once Upon a Time in Queens, Jeanette Lee Vs. and The Bullies of Baltimore.
2025 has seen two 30 for 30 releases, with Empire Skate and Berlusconi: Condemned to Win in June and September, respectively.
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READ MORE: The best 30 for 30 documentaries on ESPN
E60 documentary series
E60 is ESPN’s multi-award-winning magazine show, featuring investigative journalists who deep-dive into sporting stories and controversies around the world. On-demand content includes Once Upon a Time in Anaheim for Hockey fans and Truth be Told for those following the development of women’s soccer. Vince Carter and The Evolution of Sue Bird are great documentaries for NBA enthusiasts.
2018's The Dictator's Team is the most recent of the E60 series' 14 Emmy wins.
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Other ESPN originals
ESPN has a long list of original content, ranging from talk shows, events, to documentaries, to feature films.
| Around the Horn | Battle of the Gridiron Stars |
| Cold Pizza | Bonds of Bonds |
| ESPN Hollywood | Bound of Glory |
| The Fantasy Show | It's The Shoes |
| Jim Rome Is Burning | Madden Nation |
| Pardon the Interruption | Night School |
| Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith | Streetball |
| SportsCenter | The Contender |
| Playmakers | The Life |
| Tilt | Stump the Schwab |
| The Bronx is Burning | 2 Minute Drill |
| The Captain | Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of New York Cosmos |
| ESPY Awards | Through the Fire |
| X Games | Kobe Doin' Work |
| Winter X Games | 30 for 30 |
| World Series Poker | Wendell Scott: A Race Story |
| 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story | ESPN Films Presents |
| A Season on the Brink | Nine for IX |
| Code Breakers | O.J.: Made in America |
| Hustle | Baltimore Boys |
| Ruffian | The Last Dance |
| The Junction Boys | The Cave of Adullam |
| Four Minutes | Gracie |
| X Games 3D: The Movie | Queen of Katwe |
| Lombardi | World Beaters |
| Keepers of the Streak | 144 |
| Betsy & Irv | The Kingdom |
| Full Court Press | Peyton's Places |
| Inside The College Football Playoff | In the Arena |
| Man in the Arena: Tom Brady | Believers: Boston Red Sox |
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ESPN studio programming
As well as plenty of live sports events, ESPN also boasts lots of studio shows for highlights, debate, and analysis.
| NFL PrimeTime | NFL Matchup |
| ESPN FC | SportsCentre |
| Futbol Americas | College GameDay |
| The Point | First Take |
Live sports events
ESPN is a streaming platform that is scooping up streaming rights for live sports left, right, and center, so there’s plenty to be consumed, especially if you’re a fan of soccer, UFC, Top Rank boxing, cricket, college football, Formula 1 or want to watch out of market NHL.
With over 30,000 live events, including 25,000+ college sports events, every LALIGA soccer game and every FA Cup match, the PGA TOUR Live, NHL Out-of-Market, it really does make ESPN a standout streaming option, showing live games from the following leagues and tournaments.
| English FA Cup soccer | Spain's La Liga soccer |
| UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) | NCAA |
| NHL Out-of-Market | PGA TOUR |
| ESPN College Basketball | ESPN College Football |
| Monday Night Football and NFL Draft | NBA on ESPN |
| NHL on ESPN | Formula 1 |
| College Football Playoff | Australian Open |
| Wimbledon | US Open |
| The Masters | TGL |
| NCAA Championships |
Other live sports on ESPN include XFL, MMA, Golf, Tennis, Cricket, Lacrosse, Rugby, F1, Soccer, Hockey, and more. There’s national and international coverage as well.
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ESPN subscription plans
Plans for ESPN start at $12.99 per month, with the most expensive monthly subscription being the bundle with FOX 1 at $39.99 per month. Each plan is now on a monthly contract rather than offering an annual option with any added discount.
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| ESPN Select | $12.99 |
| ESPN Unlimited | $29.99 |
| Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select Bundle | $19.99 |
| Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle | $29.99 |
| ESPN FOX 1 Bundle | $39.99 |
ESPN compared with other streaming services
With subscriptions on the market ranging in price, an ESPN plan sits comfortably in the middle where price is concerned, but does offer a lot more than its cheaper rivals, and offers a good number of simultaneous streams. Visual quality is the market standard 1080p, though it doesn’t feature 4K like many of its competitors.
| Streaming Service | Monthly Subscription | Simultaneous streams | Video Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAZN | From $19.99 | Two | 1080p |
| Amazon Prime Video | From $14.99 | Three | 1080p, 4K |
| ESPN (Select and Unlimited) | From $12.99 | Three | Selected 4K |
| Apple TV+ | From $12.99 | Six | 1080p, 4K |
| Peacock | From $10.99 | Three | 1080p,4K |
| Disney+ | From $9.99 | Two to Four | 1080p, 4K |
| Netflix | From $7.99 | Two to Four | 1080p, 4K |
| Paramount+ | From $7.99 | One to Four | 1080p, 4K |
| Discovery+ | From $5.99 | Four | 1080p, 4K |
Pros of ESPN
What it lacks in 4K visuals, ESPN makes up for in over a thousand hours of sports content and consistently good value features. So, let's dive into what makes ESPN worth your while.
| Simultaneous streams | Device compatibility |
| Bundle subscriptions | Flexible plan options |
| No long term commitments | Affordable |
Simultaneous streams
ESPN gives you up to five simultaneous streams, which is pretty good when compared to other streaming services on the market. The only exception to this is with Pay-Per-View (PPV) combat sports events that you access through the ESPN platform. With PPV, only two simultaneous streams are allowed at a time.
Bundle subscriptions
ESPN offers bundle subscriptions with the likes of Disney+, Hulu, and FOX 1. So, if you're looking to only pay one monthly fee and have your sports and entertainment covered in one deal, one of these bundles are a must.
Device compatibility
The ESPN app has been built for on-the-go streaming on Apple and Android smart devices, as well as Amazon’s Fire tablet.
The app also integrates seamlessly with Samsung Smart TVs, Google Chromecast, PlayStation, Xbox, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, Android TV, Cox Contour TV and Stream Player, Xfinity Flex, and XumoTV.
Cons of ESPN
There are a few. They don’t hit very hard if you have a decent TV service with ESPN broadcast networks in its line-up. But if you don’t, they will feel pretty glaring.
| Regional blackout restrictions | Limited ESPN channel shows |
| Ads | Higher tier costs for some sports |
Regional blackout restrictions
Probably the most notable downside of ESPN is that it's prone to regional blackout restrictions. This means that certain events won’t be available through ESPN until the live broadcast has concluded.
Limited ESPN channel shows
The ESPN channel on your TV doesn't necessarily share all its shows with ESPN, so it's worth bearing in mind.
Ads
There’s no way around it, unfortunately. It isn’t possible to get ESPN without ads, so you’ll have to embrace the marketing madness.
READ MORE: The 8 cheapest sports streaming services: Subscription plans and monthly prices
Is ESPN worth it?
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For a sports fan? Undoubtedly. The sheer variety of live games, on-demand entertainment, original series on offer, as well as sports news, allows you to dip your fingers in a lot of different pots with ESPN Unlimited.
READ MORE: How to watch live sports on ESPN
Starting at only $12.99 per month, ESPN Select is gentle on your bank balance and isn’t too shabby as a standalone streaming service that offers ESPN+ features and OD content. But for seasoned sports fans who wish to enjoy a lot more comprehensive soccer, MMA, and college sports coverage, ESPN Unlimited will get you fuller access. Unlimited also gives you WWE Premium Live Events as well as NBA, WNBA and SportsCenter features – something that select lacks.
The platform also offers plenty of PPV events and professional sports competitions, giving you plenty of choice every day of the week.
It has its drawbacks but, as we said at the start, ESPN Unlimited is at its best and brightest as a team player in your streaming lineup rather than as a solo performer. So, if you want the most out of the service, combine ESPN Unlimited with your existing streaming TV sports service and get ready for 24/7 action.