ESPN is set to launch Vibe Check, a new women-led sports-focused studio show, set for premiere exclusively on Disney+ in late June.

You'll finally be able to subscribe to ESPN without paying for other cable TV channels. The move by Disney says a lot about the state of the industry.

Is Disney ( DIS 0.76%) finally finished with its struggles? The entertainment king has been having on and off troubles for years, and its stock is still 50% off its previous highs. But it's been making steady progress since the return of iconic CEO Bob Iger, and it reported solid results for the 2025 fiscal second quarter (ended March 29).

Berman joined ESPN a month after its launch in 1979. The post ESPN Extends Chris Berman’s Contract Through 50th Year, First Super Bowl appeared first on Front Office Sports.

Notably, in a comment that was designed to reassure operators that the DTC app wouldn’t accelerate cord cutting, Iger stressed that existing pay TV subs who get the linear ESPN channel will access to all the features of the upcoming DTC offering.

ESPN is one of hundreds - if not thousands - of companies trying to capitalize on the streaming wars. The Worldwide Leader in Sports has ESPN+, which broadcasts a handful of different sports, along with other streaming content.

According to the report, ESPN could increase its annual payout to the SEC in exchange for an expansion of the conference schedule. No formal offer has yet been made, but it is believed ESPN and parent company Disney would kick in an additional $50-80 million annually on top of the current $811 million broadcast deal that began last season.

With ESPN Plus included, Disney’s streaming business finally became profitable last August, and its operating income has been on an upward trajectory since. Paramount Plus, NBC’s Peacock, and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max all turned a profit last year as they tried to catch Netflix, which has moved beyond reporting subscriber numbers.