The Josh Innes Show - The New ESPN App Has People Worried

Episode Date: August 6, 2025

WWE and the NFL are on board with this new ESPN App. I have yet to really dive deep into the specifics of this app, so I'm turning to ChatGPT. What does this mean for people who already have ESPN+? What does this mean for watching football? What does it mean for Red Zone? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Thank you. We were safer in space. FX's Alien Earth, an original series streaming August 12 on Disney Plus. Sign up today. 18 plus subscription required TNCs apply. Well, the big sports media news today is that this ESPN and WW slash NFL slash new streaming service for ESPN is officially going. going to launch and the details have been released about it. Let's read some of these details here. I know a lot of people, the one thing I've seen before the wrestling news came down,

the thing that had people really kind of worked up about the whole thing was people were worked up about the idea of how ESPN is going to screw up the NFL network or how ESPN is going to screw up Red Zone. Red Zone is something I've never understood the appeal of, like at least for me on a personal level. Like I can understand some people like to watch the touchdowns and see the big moments in games, and I get that. For me, I prefer to have NFL Sunday ticket, and if I see that, oh, the chiefs are driving and I need a touchdown there, I'll flip over to that game. There's something about having somebody else in control of what I'm watching that pisses me off.

I guess call it a control issue, call it whatever you want to call it. But I find myself when I, like, I almost feel out of control. It's the same reason why I don't like to go on cruises. Like I watched these documentaries about cruises and I see people going missing on cruises and then my mom used to love to go on cruises with her husband, Don, and like my dad, my dad of all people even went on a cruise, I think a couple of years ago and had a miserable time. Like my dad, Captain Panic Attack and the Panic Tears, like he even went on a cruise and he and like everybody says, you got to go on a cruise, it's great. Well, I don't want to go on a cruise because I don't want somebody else in control of when I'm stopping and starting. Now, you could argue, well, Josh, you get on a plane. Yes, but the plane is going from point A to point B, and for the most part, there is no stop.

Like, I know if I'm flying, like, from Detroit to Houston, there'll probably be a layover in St. Louis or something, but I know that or layover in Dallas, and I know that, but I know that there's a certain amount of time that I'm going to be on that plane, and that's that. I don't want to be on a boat, like I don't want to be outside on the deck of a boat knowing that I am stuck in the middle of this water and I can't go anywhere and somebody else is in control of what I'm doing. I don't like that. And it's the same basic feeling I get from Red Zone. Like, if I see a game that I find interesting, I want to flip to that game on my own and watch it. Now, NFL Sunday ticket is expensive. Not everybody gets NFL Sunday ticket. we do. Of all things like this is why my house kind of rules. We have our own issues, but our house

rules because my wife is the one who really loves Sunday ticket, because my wife loves to watch all the football games, because my wife gambles and she's a degenerate. Hold on. Let me play a couple commercials, and we shall continue. And yes, my wife is a degenerate. She's a wonderful gambler, and she's smarter than me because I think, you know, it's wild, as I'm fairly certain that lifetime, My wife is probably up gambling on sports. I'm fairly certain she's up. And if she's down, she ain't down much. Me, I'm down thousands upon thousands upon thousands of dollars

because I am a degenerate gambling addict asshole. But my wife, bless her heart, she can, like the other night, she had a bet. It was a baseball bet. And she had the opportunity to cash out. She's actually very smart on this. So she had hit the first three legs of a parlay. And the only thing left was the Cardinal. Dodgers game and she says you know what they're giving me the option to cash out and I just feel

like the Cardinals are going to screw me and somehow beat the Dodgers so I'm going to cash out and take my winnings I said sure what are you going to win she says $14 I said how much did you bet a dollar like I'm like how do you like how are you able to do this and it's because my wife's mind hasn't been rocked and rolled and fried by the the degenerate gambling monster that I have that I have been destroyed by. Like she was so excited at that point. Like, yes, she'd like to have some $100 and $200 hits and stuff, which she has. But she was just trying to build up her loot for the season.

Like that $14 might last her an entire season. So she pulled that out. She took the cash out. And by the way, the Cardinals ended up beating the Dodgers overnight when we were asleep. And that would have screwed her. So good on her. But she's the one that loves to have the Sunday ticket.

She loves to watch all these games. I don't want somebody else in control of what I'm watching. And I also think the whole like, oh, Scott Hanson doesn't pee all after. Like a lot of that shit's overrated and dumb. And I don't care who hosts the Red Zone. I just don't care about it. It's just not my thing because there might be other things I want to see. What if I want to watch like the middle of the drive and not just the touchdown, right?

Like these are things that bother me about Red Zone. Most notably, though, is that somebody else is going to control what game you're going to go to. It's like, well, it's kind of like back. before you could watch every NCAA tournament game. Like, when I was in college is when the internet, like this is like 06, like when the internet really started popping with live streaming. Like early on in the internet, there'd be streaming, but it was like impossible to find whatever.

In the early days of CBS allowing you to stream any game you wanted to and just bounce around and see it, game changer. So if I want to watch the end of like Duquesne and Western Kentucky, I can watch that. and not be forced to watch Duke and Kentucky, right? Like, I don't have to do that. So it's my choice. It is my option, and I like that I have that option and that I am in control. That's why I've never really liked the Red Zone.

All right, ESPN is launching its new direct-to-consumer streaming service on August 21st. The release coincides with the start of major sports programming, including the college football, the NFL, and the upcoming WWE events. ESPN's new platform will roll out through an update. ESPN app, which will feature live programming, replays, and on-demand content. Well, I already have ESPN Plus. What does this mean for me? Let me ask that of

let's see. Actually, Jilly just texted me about this. So you don't have this direct-to-consumer package. I bet you can't watch the NFL Network exclusive games. Huh. I don't know. You know what we're going to do before we dive too deep into this? We're going

to ask chat GPT. I did a whole segment on the show today about how instead of sending kids to school, just teach them to use chat GPT. Teachers are basically worthless at this point. They complain about what they're getting paid anyhow. Just use chat GPT to learn. If they don't want to learn, then they'll just suffer and suck at life. All right. If I have ESPN plus, will I get the new ESPN direct to consumer streaming platform. Let's see what this says.

Let's see what kind of info we can get. What does this mean for those who have ESPN Plus? If you already subscribe to ESPN Plus, then yes, when Disney launches its new ESPN Direct to Consumer Streaming Service on August 21st, your ESPN Plus membership will automatically transition into the select tier of the new ESPN streaming platform. How your ESPN Plus subscription maps to the new service, the DTC platform branded simply as ESPN launches August 21st. It offers two tiers. They're select, and that includes everything on ESPN Plus. That is what current ESPN Plus subscribers will receive

at 1199 a month. Unlimited adds full access to ESPN's linear channels, all live events, studio shows, and on-demand content priced at $299 a month or $299 a year. If you're subscribed to only ESPN Plus, you'll be migrated to the select tier, which continues offering ESPN Plus style content, no extra charge, but it does not include full linear channel access like ESPN or ESPN2. If you want access to ESPN's full live channel lineup, including NFL network and WWE events starting in 2026, and in market linear channels, you can upgrade to the unlimited plan at 2999 a month.

So like, okay, so with select. Can I watch SEC Network Football games? Let's see. With Select, can I watch SEC Network football games?

Let's see what... Boy, chat GPT, what a game changer. Let's see. It's something timed out, so it's waiting. Here we go. No, with the select tier, which is basically ESPN Plus, you cannot watch SEC Network football games. But on that, I could,

before. So what the hell? Like, I could watch ESPN or SEC Network games before. Okay, so now here's a full breakdown again. Includes some college football games, but not the major games from SEC Network, ESPN, ESPN, ESPN, or ABC. These games are still considered linear cable content and only available in the unlimited tier or through a cable satellite streaming TV provider like YouTube TV. But the thing is, I'm already going to have ESPN and ESPN2 and SEC. network through cable. So I'm not going to really need that because I'll have all of it on cable. The unlimited tier gives you full access to SEC network, ESPN 2. Well, let me ask the question.

What if I have ESPN via, what's our cable provider? It's via Comcast, via that's not con, what's Xfinity? What if I have ESPN via Xfinity? Can, ESPN via Xfinity, can I, watch it on the app with only the select tier. I'm asking all the questions, baby. I'm a hell of an interviewer. Nobody interviews chat GPT like this guy interviews chat GPT. Let's see. Sorry, the connection was lost now we're waiting.

Boy, I love this chat, GPT. If you have ESPN through Xfinity, here's how it works with the new ESPN app. If you have ESPN via Xfinity, you can watch all ESPN. ESPN networks, including SEC Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU in the ESPN app or new ESPN streaming platform, but only when you sign in using your Xfinity TV provider credentials. So it's essentially the same thing. There's nothing really changing unless you want to watch, you know, like wrestling or I guess, like, okay, let me ask you this. If I have NFL, because that's another question, because they have a lot of exclusive games the NFL does on, you know, different platforms. Netflix, Prime, and all that.

If I have NFL Network on Xfinity, okay, hold on it, that typed out wrong, Xfinity, can I watch NFL Network games on the app? Boy, this is a time. Boy, thank you, Jat, Jat, Jit, Jit, JPT. Chat GPT. Thank you for being amazing. Yes, if you have the NFL network through Xfinity, you can watch NFL Network games on the NFL app or the NFL network website.

But what about, well, can I watch it with Select Tier on ESPN? Boy, no, you cannot watch NFL Network games on the ESPN app, even with the Select Tier. Here's why NFL Network is not owned by ESPN, it's owned by the NFL itself. The Select Tier only gives you ESPN. Okay, cool. That makes sense. Then one more thing. How much of ESPN does the NFL now own?

I want to say it's 10%, but I want to make sure. Boy, chat, GPT, you're my best friend. We really talk more than anybody. As of the most recent agreement announced on August 5th and 6th, the NFL now holds a 10% ownership stake in ESPN. This is part of a landmark deal in which ESPN, a Disney subsidiary, will acquire NFL network, Red Zone, distribution rights and some fantasy football operations in exchange for that equity stake.

So Walt Disney Company, 72% down from 80. Hearst Communications, 18% down from 20. NFL new partner via equity swap 10%. Essentially, Disney's stake drops to 72%, Hearst to 18%, and the NFL now holds a 10% share of ESPN. Why this matters. Well, actually, let's do this. Let me get to this in another episode. Why this matters, because this is something I've seen a lot of people bitching about, about what does this mean for the way they cover the NFL?

Let's get into that here. We'll be coming back.