Early Data Shows ESPN, Fox One Are Off to Strong Starts in DTC Push

ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer service and Fox One, two of the major sports-related streaming products to hit the market this year, each continue to add subscribers at a steady pace.

Third-party data provider Antenna said Monday that ESPN’s DTC effort garnered 2.1 million sign-ups between its Aug. 21 debut and Sept. 30. The number for ESPN alone is more than double the roughly 1 million combined sign-ups disclosed on Sept. 16 at the Front Office Sports Tuned In summit. 

Fox One, which also debuted Aug. 21, reached 1.1 million sign-ups, according to the new Antenna data. Like for ESPN, this is the first number attached specifically to that service, as Antenna had previously said only that ESPN had garnered the majority of the signups among the two services.

The networks have not detailed subscriber numbers for their respective services, and in the case of ESPN parent company Disney, there won’t be any such disclosures as it said earlier this year it will stop reporting streaming subscription totals as part of quarterly earnings reports. That decision follows a similar shift made by Netflix. 

The Antenna figures, however, continue to provide a glimpse into the two major corporate priorities as both ESPN and Fox continue their evolution from a prior, linear-focused business model. A majority of the ESPN sign-ups were for the full, unlimited version of ESPN compared to the more limited ESPN Select.

Sunday Bumps

For both services, there have been steady, weekly jumps in sign-ups near or during NFL games. In particular, Antenna said that Fox One saw a “particularly notable spike” around the Week 2 matchup between the Eagles and Chiefs, a Super Bowl LIX rematch that, at least for now, stands as the league’s most-watched game of the 2025 season.

More such bumps are expected as Fox shows the World Series beginning Friday, and both networks have a steady upcoming run of college and pro football. 

“This more complete data snapshot suggests that the early momentum seen in the first days following the services’ launches continues,” Antenna said in a company blog post. 

Appearing recently at an industry event arranged by Spectrum, the No. 1 U.S. pay-TV provider, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said the DTC project remains a long-term effort. 

“We’re still in the first inning here. I’ve said that repeatedly,” he said. “We feel like we’re just getting started.”

In addition to running their separate services, ESPN and Fox are also offering a joint bundle of the two, specifically targeting sports fans. That bundle became available Oct. 2 for $39.99 per month.