This is SportsCenter: Disney brings WatchESPN app to Android TV

By Stephanie Topacio Long May 17, 2016

watchespn access android tv app — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Disney has been working to bring its content to Google’s Android TV, and the mass-media conglomerate’s latest step to that end will make sports fans cheer. As of Tuesday, Android TV users can now stream live and on-demand ESPN programming through the WatchESPN app, provided they subscribe to a major TV provider.

As any sports fan will tell you, the sports viewing experience is far better on a TV screen than a mobile device or tablet; therefore, the arrival of the app on Android TV is welcome news. Users can find live games and shows from a range of ESPN networks: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, SEC Network, SEC Network Plus, ESPNews, ESPN Deportes, and Longhorn Network. However, it’s worth noting that access varies by cable provider. The app also offers on-demand clips, ranging from ESPN Classic content to highlights and news.

Android TV joins a growing list of devices that carry the WatchESPN app at launch, including Sony 4K HDR Ultra HD TVs, Sharp Aquos Android TV, Google Nexus Player, Nvidia Shield, and Razer Forge TV. Disney plans to add access to the app to some Phillips and RCA models down the road. Additionally, the company intends to bring similar apps from Disney/ABC Television Group to Android TV in the near future, according to Tuesday’s announcement.

“Delivering our content seamlessly within this app-like user interface on Android TV embraces a growing trend in consumer behavior and consumption habits,” said Sean Breen, senior vice president of affiliate sales for Disney and ESPN Media Networks, in a press release. “We will continue to work with both traditional providers and new entrants to distribute Disney/ABC and ESPN networks in new and unique ways.”

It’s exciting to hear that more Disney apps are coming, but in the meantime, we’ll just enjoy WatchESPN.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Stephanie Topacio Long

Contributor

Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…

Audio / Video

Disney+ with ads launches December 8; Hulu raises prices

The Disney Plus home screen.

The ad-supported version of Disney+ will launch in the United States on December 8, 2022, the company announced today along with its earnings for the third fiscal quarter. The monthly subscription fee will cost $8 — that's $3 cheaper than the "Premium" subscription, which runs $11 a month or $110 annually.

The ad-supported plan also will be available as part of the Disney Bundle, which gives subscribers access to Hulu and ESPN+. There's a new skinny Disney Bundle, however. Here's how that breaks down:

Entertainment

What is ESPN+: The live sports streamer explained

ESPN+ app on a movile device.

Over the past year, ESPN's business model has changed, both from a broadcast and digital perspective. Now "The Worldwide Leader in Sports" is putting a greater emphasis on its additional paid service, ESPN+. Not meant as a replacement for the cable channel, it's a subscription add-on to ESPN that is quickly becoming essential for the sports fan who doesn't have a cable subscription to access ESPN's content and coverage.

ESPN Plus also has grown to encompass ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's paid subscription that provided access to "Insider" content like special analysis, fantasy sports content, and more. Today, more and more content qualifies as "Insider" material, making ESPN+ a more essential service for sports fans, especially if you follow ESPN's top analysts like Zach Lowe and Bill Barnwell. Additionally, subscribers get exclusive access to certain sports coverage, events, shows, and more.

Audio / Video

Hulu, ESPN+, Disney+ continue to gain subscribers

Disney Plus app on a TV.

The Walt Disney Company has released its earnings for its first quarter of 2022, and with it we get a new look at the state of the streaming services that fall under the larger Disney umbrella. Things were good across the board, with gains for Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu.

“This marks the final year of The Walt Disney Company’s first century," CEO Bob Chapek said in the earnings release, "and performance like this, coupled with our unmatched collection of assets and platforms, creative capabilities, and unique place in the culture, give me great confidence we will continue to define entertainment for the next 100 years.”