ESPN+ will now cost $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually as the Disney company made the announcement on Friday. Next month the 43% rise from $6.99 per month/$69.99 annually will be reflected on subscribers’ bills.
If you account for the rise in UFC PPVs (which raised its PPV price point to $74.99 recently) the UFC fan paying for the full complement of PPVs plus the monthly digital subscription will spend over $1,000 per year.
The UFC is one of the driving forces for the revenues of the digital platform which last raised its subscription rates in July 2021 from $5.99 per month to $6.99 per month. The standalone digital platform first started with a $4.99 price point.
The Disney Bundle, which includes ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+ will not change in price. UFC PPVs will stay the same after raising its rates this past year.
Payout Perspective:
The jump in price from $6.99 to $9.99 per month and/or $30 rise annually reflects the concern with digital platforms and returning a profit. With the heavy investment in building content, the spike in price reflects the need to adjust for spending. Will the $3 spike cause a mass exodus from subscriptions. Disney is probably thinking that there may be an initial retreat but over the long haul, the subscribing base will continue to grow.
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