After months of anticipation, two heavyweights of the cable bundle -- Fox and ESPN -- are going full force into streaming. But in doing so, they'll be attempting the balancing act of going after so-called "cord-nevers" while avoiding the acceleration of the exodus of traditional pay TV subscribers.

After years of being asked how it would respond to the streaming explosion, ESPN is finally unveiling a new direct-to-consumer app designed to offer its clearest answer yet to that existential question.

CNBC's David Faber will interview Bob Iger, CEO of parent company Disney, and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro at 10 a.m. ET. Watch the interview live on CNBC+ or the CNBC Pro stream. Private equity took a trip to the mall on Wednesday. Claire's, which earlier ...

My colleague Andrew Marchand has the must-read story of how ESPN got to this company-defining moment, under its chairman Jimmy Pitaro, who has spent north of $80 billion on live-sports rights during his tenure to keep fans tuned in to ESPN and to stave off the Thanos-like inevitability of YouTube and Netflix consumption.

At 12:01 a.m., it will launch its new, streaming, direct-to-consumer product – called, simply, “ESPN” – which for the first time will allow sports fans legally to access the network’s top attractions without doing so through a cable, satellite or other distributor.

WWE premium live events will come to ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer platform in 2026 with ten PLEs, including WrestleMania, being part of the deal. Speaking on The Ringer’s Press Box podcast, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro was asked about the deal and what fans might be able to expect.

The launch of the ESPN DTC platform and new app is one of the seminal moments in the history of the WorldWide Leader in Sports. But ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro wants to make it clear that there is more to come than what is available at launch.