Disney CEO Bob Iger has announced that the company will offer a bundle package for all three streaming services (Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+) at a monthly rate of $12.99 starting in November after their initial launches. The standalone Disney+ streaming service will be offered at the price of $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year.
The bundle was previously teased by Iger, but not until today the rumors were made official during Disney’s most recent investors call— a conference event that allows a public company’s management, analysts, investors, and the media to discuss the company’s financial results during a given quarter. Which in itself remains to be good news for the conglomerate considering their most recent quarter alone saw the entertainment division gain an increase in revenue at 33 percent aka $3.8 billion.
In comparison, the service’s price stands to be competitively cheaper than others with Netflix’s subscription still being offered at $12.99 a month, while Amazon Prime remains to be factored collectively into their full service fee at $159.99 a year; college students can still get a discounted fee. HBO Max’s has been rumored to start at $16-$17 a month.
Individually, Hulu is still currently available for $5.99 a month fee albeit with ads, with ESPN+ costing $4.99 a month. Slightly different than its previously FOX owned predecessor, the new ESPN iteration is set to carry “hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, Grand Slam tennis, Top Rank boxing, PGA Tour golf, college sports, international rugby, cricket, the full library of ESPN Films including 30 for 30, and more.”
News about Disney+ and Hulu’s international market reach is also still a widely debated topic within the company, leaving exact plans for expansion unclear. Bundle prices may change as a result due to other regional issues with content which Iger addressed when speaking with investors, commenting there isn’t “anything to announce right now in terms of markets.”
The positive response to our direct-to-consumer strategy has been gratifying, and the integration of the businesses we acquired from 21st Century Fox only increases our confidence in our ability to leverage decades of iconic storytelling and the powerful creative engines across the entire company to deliver an extraordinary value proposition to consumers.
Iger also confirmed future plans for the streaming service to be available through partnerships and deals with Amazon, Apple, and other distributors as well, despite Disney not finalizing anything contractual with either entertainment company. Regardless, the production house’s main focus continues to be providing a quality direct-to-consumer space that focuses on entertainment, family, and sports.