ESPN+: The Complete Guide to Activating Your Account and Streaming Sports

Ever wanted to watch live out-of-market MLB or NHL games? Have access to hundreds more soccer matches than what‘s on TV? Or enjoy premium combat sports like UFC and boxing events? For die-hard sports fans, ESPN+ makes all this possible and more.

ESPN+ is a standalone sports streaming subscription service from Disney that offers live games, original shows, stats, news and on-demand highlights across thousands of events. With everything from niche cricket contests to Grand Slam tennis, ESPN+ can take your fandom to the next level.

But to tap into all this sports goodness, you first need to get an ESPN+ account login set up and activated.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to start watching ESPN+ today:

We‘ll cover:

• What Exactly ESPN+ Offers
• Activating Your ESPN+ Account Step-by-Step
• Supported Devices and Platforms
• Live Sports Lineup and Content
• Comparing ESPN+ to Other Streaming Services
• And Much More!

Let‘s dive in to unlocking your sports streaming dreams with ESPN+.

What Exactly is ESPN+?

Before we get to setting up your shiny new ESPN+ account, it helps to understand what this streaming platform actually offers.

ESPN+ is a standalone subscription streaming service owned by Disney that provides live and on-demand sports programming that complements ESPN‘s TV networks.

Some key things you need to know:

• Cost: $9.99 / month or $99.99 / year
• Sports Content: Live games, replays, news and analysis for MLB, NHL, soccer, UFC, tennis, PGA golf plus niche sports
• Original Shows: ESPN+ original series, documentaries and specialty content
• Add-On Events: Certain premium live UFC and boxing PPV events cost extra
• Not Included: No simulcast of ESPN‘s TV channels or content broadcast on them

So while ESPN+ doesn‘t provide access to what airs on ESPN‘s regular cable TV channels, it fills a valuable niche with additional sports coverage.

Launched in 2018, ESPN+ now has over 24 million subscribers as of 2022. It has become a key pillar of Disney‘s broader direct-to-consumer streaming strategy.

Along with Disney+ and ad-supported Hulu, ESPN+ gives Disney a compelling three-headed hydra to counter streaming rivals like Netflix and take on traditional TV. Special discounted bundles that package ESPN+ with with Disney+ and Hulu provide extra incentive to subscribers.

Compared to other major sports streaming services:

• ESPN+ offers more overall sports diversity than NBA League Pass or MLB.TV
• It includes major sports not on niche platforms like FuboTV or DAZN
• ESPN+ provides original programming and analysis you won‘t find on betting / fantasy services like DraftKings

Now let‘s get into the good stuff…setting up your ESPN+ account login!

Activating Your ESPN+ Account Step-by-Step

Ready to unlock thousands of live games and on-demand entertainment? Here is an A-to-Z walkthrough on how to get your ESPN+ account set up:

1. Visit ESPNplus.com

First, head to the ESPN+ website at ESPNplus.com in your desktop or mobile browser.

You‘ll arrive at the ESPN+ homepage:

Look towards the top right for the blue "Log In" button.

2. Enter ESPN Login Credentials

Clicking "Log In" will bring you to the login page:

On this page, enter your ESPN username and password if you already have existing ESPN credentials, either from signing up previously on ESPN.com or via a connected TV provider account.

If you‘ve never created ESPN credentials, select "Sign Up" instead to create your new ESPN account.

👉 Pro Tip: If you run into login issues or get an error trying to sign in, select the Troubleshooting links provided under the form to reset your password or unlock your account.

3. Accept ESPN+ Terms of Service

Once logged in to your ESPN account, a popup will present the ESPN+ terms of service and privacy policy. Have a quick read through (fine print‘s no fun but important!) before clicking "Agree and Continue" to accept the terms.

This means you agree to subscribe to the ESPN+ service under those terms and conditions.

4. Select Your Subscription Plan

Next, choose which ESPN+ subscription plan you want:

• Monthly ($9.99/month)
• Annual ($99.99/year, saves you $20!)

You‘ll need to provide a valid payment method later, more details on that ahead.

The annual plan can save you a bit of money over monthly, but flexible monthly billing allows canceling anytime if ESPN+ ends up not being your jam after testing it out.

👉 Pro Tip: Look out for limited time discounts on annual subscriptions around major sporting event times like college football kickoff!

5. Enter Billing Details

On the next page, you‘ll be asked to provide payment information along with your name and address for billing purposes.

Details required:

• Payment method: debit/credit card, Paypal or gift card redemption
• Billing address
• Email / phone number
• Name on payment account

Be extra careful that all personal and payment details entered are completely accurate to avoid any activation payment issues.

6. Confirm Subscription

Almost there! The final page presents a complete order summary displaying:

• Your selected ESPN+ subscription plan and cost
• Payment method
• Billing details

Give this final review a glance to ensure no mistakes were made on previous steps.

If everything looks good, click "Submit Order" or "Complete Subscription" to finish up.

Congratulations, your ESPN+ account is now activated! Time to explore everything now available to stream from the wide world of sports.

Supported Devices and Platforms

An awesome perk of modern streaming services is getting to enjoy all that great content across your devices.

Luckily ESPN+ offers fantastic device flexibility, available across:

• Smartphones and Tablets: Android and Apple phones & tablets via ESPN+ app
• TV Streaming: Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, smart TVs and more
• Web Browsers: Access online at ESPNplus.com from any internet-connected laptop or computer
• Concurrent Streams: Up to 3 different devices can stream ESPN+ simultaneously per account

Plus your ESPN+ account and preferences seamlessly sync across all your logged in devices.

See the complete list of supported platforms and devices here.

This cross-device accessibility makes it easier than ever to stream sports wherever life takes you – commute, travel, or your living room couch.

Live and On-Demand Sports Lineup

Now for the best part…what sports action can you actually watch with an ESPN+ subscription? Quite a lot it turns out!

While it doesn‘t offer simulcasts of ESPN‘s TV channels, ESPN+ provides a ton of complementary live sports coverage plus on-demand programming:

Plus niche sports like cricket, rugby….even cornhole!

Full live sports schedule and calendars can be found on ESPN Plus. With so much variety, there‘s always exciting matchups happening across multiple sports.

ESPN+ also offers hundreds of original programs, documentaries and specialty analysis content. These cover everything from insider previews of upcoming UFC bouts, following NHL prospect development, previewing the Formula 1 season and more.

There‘s no shortage of both live events and binge-worthy original content!

How Does ESPN+ Compare to Other Streaming Options?

Trying to decide amongst the myriad sports streaming options available today can make your head spin. So where does ESPN+ fit amongst the rest?

Key things to note:

• ESPN+ sits in between focused single sport services like NBA League Pass andjack-of-all-trades channels like ESPN TV
  • Gives wider sports variety than single league packages
  • But without the exact same content as ESPN cable channels
• Compared to sports-centric live TV streaming, ESPN+ offers more on-demand catalog content
  • However no live ESPN 1/2/3 channels like with Sling TV, Hulu Live, YouTube TV or Fubo TV
• Versus sports betting/news services (DraftKings, theScore), ESPN+ provides live games these lack
• ESPN+ intersects with Disney Bundle, gives discount if adding Disney+ and Hulu

So weigh your personal sports viewing priorities to consider where ESPN+ fits for your needs. It strikes an intriguing balance with its blend of live events and original programming spanning both major sports and niche leagues.

Join The Worldwide Leader in Sports

We‘ve just covered everything you could ever want to know about getting started streaming live sports galore with ESPN+.

• Activate your own account in minutes
• Access an incredible spectrum of live events and programming on any device
• Dig deeper into the sports you love while discovering new ones you never knew existed

It‘s never been easier to tap into ESPN‘s one-of-a-kind sports ecosystem.

What sports action will you binge through first with your shiny new ESPN+ subscription?