Echostar’s streaming service Sling TV has launched a new low-cost monthly package that offers ESPN and around a dozen other channels for $20 per month.
The plan, called Sling Essentials, pulls channels from its traditional Sling Orange package, which includes networks owned by Disney, Weigel Broadcasting and a few other programmers.
ESPN and ESPN 2 are the cornerstone networks offered in the new Sling Essentials package, according to a press release issued by Echostar on Thursday. The company said the package is geared toward sports fans who want access to premium TV channels “without paying for expensive, bloated bundles.”
Other networks offered in the package include the Disney Channel, Freeform, Game Show Network, MeTV, Heroes & Icons (H&I), Lifetime Movies (LMN), Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, Bounce TV, Start TV and Grit.
The plan is available to purchase by visiting the Sling TV website.
“Sling Essentials is the ultimate live-streaming solution for viewers who want premium content without a bloated bundle,” said Seth Van Sickel, the Senior Vice President of Sling TV. “By delivering an unbeatable price for ESPN alongside top family and classic TV networks, Sling TV remains the industry leader in affordable entertainment.”
The Essentials plan is the second of Sling TV’s $20 per month offerings. Last year, the service debuted a plan called Sling Select that pulls channels from its traditional Sling Blue package, including Fox News Channel and NFL Network.
In addition to Sling Essentials and Sling Select, the service also offers Day Passes for its Sling Orange package that cost $5 per day, $10 for three days or $15 for seven days. The typical cost of Sling Orange starts at $46 per month, but increases if a subscriber lives in one of eight cities where Disney owns the local ABC station, which is also offered through the package. (Independently-owned ABC affiliates aren’t offered on Sling TV.)
Sling subscribers can add more channels to Sling Orange, Sling Blue, Sling Select or Sling Essentials through “extra” packs, including a Sports Extra plan that costs $11 per month and unlocks access to NFL RedZone, NBA TV and NHL Network, among other channels.
