Sony’s Playstation Vue service adds ESPN and ABC channels

The streaming alternatives to conventional cable or satellite subscriptions for sports fans are growing. Dish Network’s Sling TV has found plenty of success, and Sony’s Playstation Vue (first launched last March) has now added Disney, ABC and ESPN channels. It’s also dropped the price for all three of its packages by $10 each. From Nick Statt at The Verge:

Sony is dropping the price on all three packages of its PlayStation Vue streaming TV service by $10, the company announced today. It’s also adding ESPN, Disney, and ABC channels after a content deal was first announced back in November. With the new price drops, which will impact both new and existing customers, the service’s Access package now costs $39.99 a month for 60 channels. The Core tier, which has 75 channels and regional sports networks, now costs $44.99 a month, while the Elite tier, which has more than 100 channels, is down to $54.99.

The new channels include ESPN, ESPN2, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD and Freeform (née ABC Family). If you’re a subscriber of the Core tier of Vue, you’ll get a few more ESPN channels, while Elite subscribers get access to the Disney- and ABC-owned Fusion network. Sony is also making local ABC stations available in five markets.

Add this to the impressive lineup Playstation Vue already has, including deals with CBS, Fox, NBC, Discovery, Scripps, Turner, Viacom, and AMC, and the variety of devices it’s available on (PS3, PS4, Apple devices, Amazon Fire TV, and Google Chromecast), and this might be a compelling option for some. Playstation’s blog outlines where the new channels will be found, with ABC, ESPN and ESPN 2 in the base Access package, and ESPNU, ESPNews and the SEC Network in the full Core package. They have more coming, too:

In addition, the following channels will also be added to PlayStation Vue at a later date: ESPN3, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN Bases Loaded, Longhorn Network, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Classic. You can find more information about plans, channel lineup and compatible devices on psvue.com.

We’ll see if Playstation Vue manages to make further inroads in the cord-cutting market with these lower prices. Gaining access to ESPN and ABC content certainly seems like a good step for them.

[The Verge]