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ESPN Plus is a video streaming service offered by the leading sports network, ESPN. The platform is owned and operated by the ESPN division of The Walt Disney Company. It provides access to live sports events, original content, and on-demand replays. ESPN Plus covers a wide range of various sports, including soccer, basketball, boxing, tennis, and more.
Sadly, ESPN Plus is not available in Canada. To access ESPN Plus in Canada, you must subscribe to a VPN provider. See how you can access ESPN Plus with a VPN below:
- Connect your VPN to a server in the US. (ExpressVPN is our no. 1 VPN recommendation)
- Sign up for an ESPN Plus account.
- Browse its library and enjoy streaming your favorite sports content.
Table of Contents
Why Isn’t ESPN Plus Available in Canada?
The issue is with licensing agreements.
It’s for this reason that Canadians can’t access ESPN Plus content and other Disney platforms like Hulu.
To avoid violating the contractual rights between sports content distribution networks and Disney, ESPN Plus must enforce geo-blocking protocols on all content.
As a result of the licensing issue, the ESPN Plus service is not available outside of the United States.
Is ESPN Plus Different from the ESPN Cable Channel?
It’s important to reiterate that ESPN Plus is not the same service as the ESPN cable channel or the ESPN app. The ESPN Plus subscription isn’t an app or a core sports channel. It’s an additional package offering a standalone subscription for alternative sports, meaning you can purchase it without owning a cable subscription to the channel.
The ESPN network and app focus on the big NHL, NBA, and NFL games.
On ESPN Plus, you don’t get any SportsCenter, and no Stephen A. Smith (that might be a bonus depending on your opinion). ESPN Plus also offers a wide variety of alternative or niche sports content not broadcasted on the primary ESPN network.
You also get ESPN Plus Originals and the popular “30 for 30” documentary series, and access to exclusive ESPN Plus PPV events.
The official ESPN application, previously known as “Watch ESPN,” gives you the option of watching ESPN’s thousands of live broadcasts across the widest variety of sports shows and events.
The ESPN app comes with sports news, real-time scoreboards, and access to an extensive library of content featuring highlight reels, archived events, replays, and breakdowns from the channel’s top analysts – like Stephen A. Smith.
The channel, on the other hand, focuses on a different market to ESPN, covering more European, Asian, and Latin-American sports events.
All of these various ESPN services are only for cable subscribers in the United States.
How Much Does ESPN Plus Cost?
As mentioned, ESPN is part of the Walt Disney Company. Therefore, you can expect top-quality sports entertainment at a reasonable price.
ESPN Plus is an upgrade to the former “ESPN Insider” service, offering its subscribers exclusive access to blogs and articles for a monthly fee. ESPN added video content to the mix, and an incredible archive of live sporting events, creating ESPN+.
Now, subscribers get access to exclusive premium content not available on the main ESPN channels. There are documentaries, live-streaming services of events, and a stack of on-demand videos for subscribers to view.
An ESPN Plus subscription costs $10.99/month and $109.99/year. You can also bundle ESPN+ (With Ads) with Disney+ (With Ads) and Hulu (With Ads) for $14.99 per month
Since ESPN is a Disney company, you also have the option of purchasing it as part of a bundle, with Disney Plus and Hulu. The ESPN+ (With Ads) Disney+ (With Ads) and Hulu (With Ads) costs $14.99/month.
We think that the $5.99 for the ESPN+ channel is great value for money, especially if you like watching alternative sports.
The ESPN Plus app also offers you the chance to give it as a gift for the holidays or as a birthday present to your friends or your family. The gift card sells for $49.99, providing an annual subscription to the recipient.
This saves you 30%, and it also gives you a workaround to the geo-blocks involved with getting your ESPN Plus subscription.
What are the Top Shows on ESPN Plus?
ESPN Plus gives you access to world-class sporting events across a variety of sports.
While the main ESPN channel has the best coverage for NHL, MLB, NBA, and NFL – you get plenty of live games available through ESPN Plus as well.
However, where ESPN Plus excels is in its coverage of niche sports.
You get access to a variety of exclusive events in the following sports:
- MMA
- Boxing
- College sports
- Lacrosse
- Canadian football
- Track and field
- Soccer
- Rugby
- Cricket
- And much more
- ESPN+ covers events in the NHL, MLS, and MLB.
You also get access to Top Rank Boxing, Series A Italian Football, The Emirates FA Cup, NCAA college sports, Grand Slam International Tennis, and so much more.
During the height of the pandemic in Q2 2020, most sports leagues closed worldwide.
One of the few sporting leagues to continue with closed operations was the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
CEO Dana White signed an agreement for the UFC broadcasting rights with ESPN back in 2019, and the UFC was one of the only sports broadcasting live throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
ESPN Plus also has the rights to broadcast the popular UFC Fight Night events, and it has the exclusive PPV rights to cover all UFC events.
In addition, they offer a vast archive of recorded sporting events.
However, where ESPN Plus excels is with the original content and shows.
The channel offers original programs, such as “The Boardroom with JD,” “Ariel & The Bad Guy,” and “NBA Rooks with Zion Williamson.”
These shows are instant classics and have large followings, showing that there’s more for sports fans outside of just watching games.
ESPN Plus is a top choice for any sports enthusiast, especially if you enjoy European sports and MMA.
Will ESPN Plus Ever Come to Canada?
On the 2019 earnings call, Robert Iger mentioned that the company plans to extend Disney offerings into Canada.
We saw that happen in 2020 with the launch of Disney Plus in the Canadian market.
However, due to the stringent licensing agreements involved with sports events, Iger states that the company is not announcing anything in terms of new markets for the ESPN Plus service yet.
Sadly, it looks like Canadians won’t have the opportunity to register for ESPN Plus and enjoy the platform’s content anytime soon.
Does YouTube TV have ESPN Plus?
Yes, YouTube TV does have ESPN. In fact, it has all of the major networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. It also includes cable channels like ESPN, AMC, TNT, and TBS. You can watch YouTube TV on a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets, computers, and TVs.
How do I get ESPN Plus on my TV?
There are a few different ways to get ESPN Plus on your TV. If you have cable TV, ESPN is likely included in your package. If you have satellite, ESPN is available as a channel add-on. And if you have an antenna TV, there are a few ways to get ESPN without cable.
If you have cable, the easiest way to get ESPN is to call your provider and ask for it to be added to your package. If you have satellite, ESPN can be added as an add-on channel. The price for adding ESPN will vary depending on your provider and package.
If you have an antenna TV and don’t want to subscribe to cable or satellite, there are a few ways to still watch ESPN in Canada. Some providers offer ESPN as part of their basic tier package, so check with your provider to see if it’s available.
Are Disney Plus and ESPN Plus the same?
Disney Plus and ESPN Plus are not the same. Disney Plus is a streaming service for movies and TV shows, while ESPN Plus is a streaming service exclusive to sports. Disney Plus costs CAD$7.99/month, while ESPN Plus costs $10.99/month.
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Other Top Streaming Services
Netflix
Netflix is known for spending a ton of resources on developing exclusive content and has some of the best shows and movies out right now. Netflix mainly offers movies and TV shows and has limited sports content. So if you’re a big sports fan, you can skip subscribing to Netflix.
Amazon Prime Video
Prime Video is a streaming service owned and operated by Amazon. it has a good offering of top-quality movies, and TV shows, with original and licensed content. Prime Video offers you the service for CAD$9.99 per month, or pay upfront for a year at CAD$99.99. Prime Video does have a significant number of live and on-demand sports content, but accessing them requires additional channel subscriptions.
Disney Plus
Disney Plus offers you top-quality entertainment from the leading Hollywood production companies. Marvel Studios and the Star Wars franchise are all onboard with Disney, and you can bet this platform will have some of the best animation and fantasy content online. Disney Plus is available for a monthly subscription cost of $11.99, or take an annual package with an $119.99 upfront payment. There’s an ESPN Plus + Hulu + Disney Plus bundle on Disney Plus, which you can avail of from $14.99 to $24.99/per month. Subscribing to this bundle is worth it if you also enjoy consuming movies and TV shows aside from sports content.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service by Google. It offers more than 100 selections of local and international channels depending on your location. Unlike most other platforms, YouTube TV offers a Cloud DVR feature, which enables users to record shows and watch them later. However, YouTube TV is only available in the United States, though you can bypass this restriction by using some of the best VPN services in Canada, such as ExpressVPN.
Hotstar
Hotstar is the popular Indian video streaming service owned by the Star network, rebranded to Disney Plus Hotstar in early 2020 after Disney took over Star India. With more than 100,000 hours of content in nine languages, they have a wide selection of content, including live cricket matches and all major sporting events. The Canadian version offers a limited selection of shows and movies, but VPNs are a great way to get around regional restrictions.
Sling TV
Sling TV is a live streaming service that provides access to select channels for a monthly fee. The service offers various packages such as ESPN, AMC, TNT, and HGTV, HBO, and Cinemax. Sling TV can be watched outside of the US by using a VPN, which will allow you to stream Sling TV content without any restrictions.
Paramount Plus
Paramount Plus is a great choice for your streaming service portfolio if you’re into top-rated content. You get a range of top-rated movies and shows with the option for an ad-free viewing experience. Paramount Plus is also available in Canada and as an add-on channel on Prime Video. It’s a great way to watch movies and TV shows online, with a library of titles that includes new and classic releases.
Peacock TV
Peacock TV is a streaming service provided by NBC Universal. Its library includes popular and beloved shows like “Parks and Recreation” and “The Office.” Peacock TV also provides exclusive access to sports coverage like Premier League soccer matches. Unfortunately, Peacock TV is not available in Canada, but users outside of the US can still use a VPN to get a US IP address.
Max
Max is a streaming service owned the Warner Bros. Discovery. It relies on its classic HBO content to attract users. On Max, you can stream some of the most critically acclaimed shows of all time, which are all from HBO, including “Game of Thrones,” “The Sopranos,” “The Wire,” and “Succession.” Unfortunately, Max is still not available in Canada, so you must subscribe to a VPN service to access it.
Hulu
Hulu is a US-based streaming service owned by The Walt Disney Company. It is also available in some parts of Japan. Some of the top TV shows and movies offered by Hulu include “The Bear,” “The Great,” “Only Murders in the Building,” and more. However, if you want to watch Hulu in Canada, you won’t be able to access the platform directly unless you use a VPN that works with Hulu, such as ExpressVPN.
