ESPN+ Review: All Sports at Your Fingertips

When you want to watch a game and your cable login won’t work, or your local channel doesn’t carry it, ESPN+ is the only app that actually delivers. No fluff. No ads between quarters. Just live games, replays, and original shows-all in one place. It’s not the cheapest option out there, but if you care about sports, it’s one of the few that doesn’t make you jump through hoops.

What’s Actually on ESPN+

ESPN+ doesn’t just rehash the same ESPN TV lineup. It’s a separate feed with content you won’t find anywhere else. College sports are the backbone-over 1,000 NCAA games a year, including football, basketball, hockey, and soccer. You can watch every single game from the Ivy League, the Mountain West, and even Division III championships. If you follow a small school, you’ve probably been waiting years for this.

MLS soccer is another big draw. Every out-of-market game is streamed live, no blackouts. Want to see LAFC vs. Inter Miami? Done. The UFC also lives here. All pay-per-view events are available to ESPN+ subscribers, and you get exclusive prelim fights before the main card. That’s a $70 value every month if you’re a fight fan.

There’s also ESPN+ Originals: documentaries like 30 for 30, behind-the-scenes series like The Last Dance spin-offs, and studio shows like ESPN FC and MLB Tonight. These aren’t clips. These are full-length productions with real access-coaches’ meetings, locker room interviews, uncut footage.

How It Compares to Other Services

Let’s say you’re comparing ESPN+ to Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, or fuboTV. Those services bundle ESPN’s linear channels (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) with network TV. But they cost $70-$80 a month. ESPN+ is $11.99 a month or $119.99 a year. That’s less than a movie ticket.

But here’s the catch: ESPN+ doesn’t include the main ESPN channel. So if you want to watch Monday Night Football or the College Football Playoff national title game on the main network, you still need cable or a live TV streamer. ESPN+ is the companion, not the replacement.

For soccer fans, Peacock has Premier League. FuboTV has La Liga. But only ESPN+ has MLS, UFC, and exclusive college sports. If you’re a fan of multiple sports, ESPN+ fills gaps no other service touches.

Live Games, No Buffering

The streaming quality is solid. On a 100 Mbps connection, it runs at 1080p without dropping frames. Even on mobile, the app adapts smoothly. I tested it during a packed Saturday of college basketball-12 games streaming at once on different devices in my house. No lag. No pixelation. No "stream unavailable" errors.

That’s not normal. Most streaming services crack under pressure. ESPN+ doesn’t. It’s built for high-traffic events. The servers are owned by Disney, and they’ve spent years optimizing for sports spikes. When the NCAA Tournament starts, ESPN+ handles millions of viewers without breaking a sweat.

What You Can’t Get

It’s not perfect. You won’t find NFL games. NBA games. NHL regular season games on the main network. Those are locked behind other deals. ESPN+ also doesn’t carry local sports networks like Bally Sports or MSG Network. If you live in Chicago and want to watch the Bulls, you’ll need another service.

There’s no offline download option. You can’t save games to watch later without an internet connection. That’s a problem if you’re traveling or on a flight. And while the app works on Roku, Apple TV, and Fire Stick, the interface feels cluttered. It’s not as clean as Netflix or Disney+.

Is It Worth the Price?

If you watch at least one college sport, one UFC fight, or one MLS game a month, ESPN+ pays for itself. For $12 a month, you’re getting access to sports that would otherwise cost you $50+ in pay-per-view fees or require multiple subscriptions.

Bundle it with Disney+ and Hulu for $16.99 a month. That’s a steal. You get kids’ shows, movies, late-night comedy, and all the sports content. It’s the only bundle that covers the whole family.

But if you only watch the NFL or NBA, skip it. You’ll be better off with NFL+ or NBA League Pass. ESPN+ isn’t for casual viewers. It’s for people who follow teams, not just stars. If you know your team’s starting pitcher by name, or you’ve memorized the ACC standings, this is your app.

How to Start

Signing up takes under a minute. Go to espn.com/plus or download the app on your phone, tablet, or smart TV. You can use your existing Disney account or create a new one. No credit card? You can start with a 7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Once you’re in, use the "My Watchlist" feature to save games. Set reminders. The app sends push notifications when your team is about to play. You can even filter by sport, conference, or team. It’s smarter than most TV guides.

Who Should Skip ESPN+

If you only watch big league games-NFL, NBA, MLB on broadcast TV-then ESPN+ won’t change your life. You’re better off with a cheap antenna or a $10 monthly service like YouTube TV.

Same if you’re not a fan of college sports or MMA. The content is too niche. It’s not for people who want the next season of Stranger Things. It’s for people who know the difference between a zone blitz and a Cover 2.

And if you hate ads? ESPN+ has them-short ones, between quarters and during timeouts. But they’re not interruptive. They’re usually for other ESPN shows or Disney products. You won’t see car commercials or insurance ads.

Final Verdict

ESPN+ isn’t trying to be everything. It’s trying to be everything for sports fans who feel left out by the big platforms. It’s the app that remembers your favorite underdog team. The one that streams the game your local bar doesn’t have. The one that lets you watch your kid’s high school state championship from across the country.

It’s not flashy. It doesn’t have celebrity interviews or reality shows. But if you care about the game, not the hype, ESPN+ is the only streaming service that gets it.