The Cable Cord Finally Snaps: Is There Any Value to the Forthcoming New Streaming Platforms?

At last count, I am currently subscribed to ten streaming services (not including ad-free YouTube, which is honestly a ridiculous $8 monthly charge just to avoid ads on Taskmaster). Three more are arriving soon, and while each will have its audience, only one is likely to be competitive. But it will also be the most expensive on the market: the forthcoming ESPN streaming platform. It will cost a whopping $30 a month, but it’s a must-have for folks who watch a lot of sports.

The platform will feature all the programming available on the cable channel — including Monday Night Football, the NBA Finals, and the College Football Playoffs — and while $30 is steep, it may finally allow those cable subscribers currently paying $50 to $70 a month to cut the cord. The fact that ESPN will host its first Super Bowl in 2027 means there will probably be a surge in new subscribers.

I’d argue that $30 a month is too much, except that a Disney/Hulu/ESPN+ bundle currently costs me $26, and for the first year at least, the Disney/Hulu/ESPN bundle will only be $30. An extra $4 for the full ESPN lineup seems like a good deal. In the years to come, I suspect ESPN will continue to consolidate a large percentage of sports programming. For what it’s worth, Rich Eisen is also returning to the network for the first time since 2003. He’s one of the rare sports talk show hosts who isn’t loathsome. (Bonus: His show will air in the same slot as Pat McAfee, who is loathsome.)

If ESPN isn’t the final nail in the coffin for cable television, Fox One probably will be, as the upcoming streaming service will offer all of Fox News along with other Fox programming. There’s no price for that one yet, nor an exact release date, though it’s expected this fall. It will likely be popular among Fox News viewers, who have been keeping cable alive alongside ESPN fans. Fox also hosts Sunday football games. I get my NFL fix through Red Zone, so I can’t imagine subscribing to Fox One, especially as long as regular Fox programming remains available on Hulu (their current contract runs through 2029). With the exception of one decent but certainly not must-see drama, Doc, and the Sunday night animation block, Fox’s lineup is mostly unscripted garbage that, this fall, includes Name That Tune, The Weakest Link, and The Floor. (The Masked Singer returns in January.) There are only two live-action scripted series on Fox’s fall schedule: Doc and Murder in a Small Town. That is pathetic.

Finally, CNN has also announced it will take a second stab at launching a streaming platform this fall. Details are still scarce (including the price), except that it will be part of CNN’s online subscription, giving subscribers access to both CNN programming and paywalled articles on the site. CNN will, however, remain in available on Max in some capacity, which is probably a good thing because I see very little value in a standalone CNN service. Ain’t nobody gonna pay $10 a month for Jake Tapper, Wolf Blitzer, and the painfully awful Scott Jennings.

And that basically leaves MSNBC and the forthcoming spin-off, Versant (E!, USA Network, SyFy), as the final cable holdouts, but I’m sure it won’t be long before they get a streamer, too.

Question to those who travel frequently: Have hotels begun to provide streaming platforms? Or is cable television (and pay-per-view movies) still the only option?

I was curious, so I looked up the individual prices for the streaming services I am subscribed to. These are stand-alone prices (I have some of them bundled, obviously, but all of them are ad-free where available).

Prime Video: $17.99
Netflix: $24.99
Peacock: $13.99
Paramount+: $12.99
Starz: $10.99
AMC+: $8.99
Apple TV+: $9.99
Disney+: $15.99
Hulu: $18.99
Max: $16.99

Total Cost: $161.90 per month.

That is a ridiculous expense for television. Cable really was cheaper. (And AMC+, Starz, Peacock, and even Disney+ are terrible values I wouldn’t otherwise pay for, but for my profession.)