Disney’s ESPN+ Reaches 1 Million Subscriber Milestone

Walt Disney Co. streaming service ESPN has surpassed 1 million paying subscribers in just over five months, the company announced Thursday. The service, which launched in April, carries Major League Baseball and National Hockey Association games as well as soccer matches, boxing and mixed martial arts, college football, pro tennis and original programming. It costs $4.99 a month, or $49.99 a year. “Reaching one million paid subscribers is an important milestone for any video subscription service, but reaching this benchmark in such a short amount of time is an incredible testament,” Kevin Mayer, chairman of the direct-to-consumer and international division at Disney, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled so many sports fans have quickly come to love the service.” The service features what Disney calls a “limited ad experience,” with no display ads or pre-roll video ads. Commercial content appears only during breaks of sports events. Shares of Walt Disney Co. (DIS) closed Thursday up $1.83, or 1.7 percent, to $111.62 on the New York Stock Exchange.