ESPN+ free for 6 months for SiriusXM subscribers and vice versa

Disney's ESPN and SiriusXM hope sports fans will find a lot more to watch and listen to on each other's streaming services – and eventually pay for it.

The media companies are working together on a promotion in which they offer their respective streaming subscribers the other company's direct-to-consumer package for free for six months. Under the deal, select SiriusXM subscribers in the U.S. can receive up to six months of subscription to ESPN+ at no additional cost. Conversely, starting later this month, new and existing ESPN+ subscribers in the U.S. will be eligible for a six-month free subscription to SiriusXM's streaming-only service.

After the six-month promotional period, subscribers would have to start paying the regular price for ESPN+ ($10.99/month) or SiriusXM streaming (starting at $9.99/month).

ESPN+ subscribers can access SiriusXM's full library of content, including more than 400 curated, commercial-free music channels, through the SiriusXM app. SiriusXM claims to offer “the most comprehensive lineup of live professional and collegiate sporting events in audio form,” with more than 20 sports-focused channels broadcast 24/7.

Eligible SiriusXM subscribers, starting with Platinum VIP and expanding to additional tiers in November, can access ESPN+. The sports streamer broadcasts more than 32,000 live sporting events each year, including exclusive UFC events; more than 50 exclusive and 1,000 off-market NHL games per season; Intercollegiate sports, including football, basketball and nearly a dozen other sports across 20 conferences; national and international football; Golf; top boxes; Grand Slam Tennis; MLB games; international cricket; exclusive original series and studio shows from ESPN+; and access to ESPN’s entire library of “30 for 30” documentaries.

During the current college football season, ESPN and SiriusXM are also partnering on ESPN Radio's College Campus Tour, which features ESPN Radio and SiriusXM College Sports Radio broadcasts live on Saturday mornings from a custom Airstream trailer to “premium tailgating” “Locations”.

“Working with SiriusXM on this offering not only gives ESPN+ subscribers access to their extensive entertainment offerings, but it also opens the door for SiriusXM customers to experience our premium sports content on ESPN+,” said Sean Breen, executive vice president of platform sales at Disney Entertainment and ESPN said in a statement.

The partnership is designed to “bring listeners and viewers closer to the personalities, players, teams and leagues they love” by pairing SiriusXM and ESPN+ sports programming, said Jeff Dallesandro, senior vice president of streaming distribution partnerships at SiriusXM. The pact “will deliver value to fans while potentially driving growth for each brand,” he said.

ESPN and SiriusXM said the subscription offers were available “for a limited time.” The companies said they will share details about how to claim the offers directly with customers who receive marketing emails for their respective subscriptions.

Next year, ESPN plans to launch what it calls its “flagship”: a standalone streaming service that will include everything on ESPN's linear networks as well as ESPN+, as well as additional features. It is scheduled for release in fall 2025, but ESPN has not revealed expected pricing for it.