Channels & viewing

[franklya]

Unfortunately the steps you listed do not help.  I am not allowed to uninstall the ESPN app.  I have tried to reboot the system twice, but it keeps telling me to purchase ESPN through a cable provider.

[RokuTakashi · Accepted solution]

Hi, @franklya 

Greetings, and welcome to the Roku Community.

We understand your concern regarding the ESPN app activation on your Roku device. 

Please note that Roku does not manage channel authentication. We recommend contacting the channel provider directly, as Roku only hosts the channel on its platform and lacks direct management control over it.

We also suggest directly coordinating with the service provider for further information and clarification about channel subscriptions and their offerings. 

For more information, you can visit ESPN+ Support for further assistance.

We hope this information helps.

Thanks,
Kash

[rukaspooka]

They seem to scam people, they offer you a "espn+ as a subscription but apparenlt you have to already have cable. I just got scammed by roku too you cant actually use the app unless you have cable you paid for the picture. 

[RobertLeth]

AS FAR AS I KNOW, YOU HAVE TO CREATE THE SUBSCRIPTION THROUGH THE ROKU APP TO VIEW ESPN+ ON ROKU.

I CREATED THE ESPN+ ACCOUNT THROUGH "MYDISNEY ACCOUNT"; THS WOULD NOT WORK ON ROKU ESPN APP.

I could not delete the ESPN+ account on MyDisney (that would be too easy). I had to delete the ESPN+ from my ESPN online account.

I then created the Roku ESPN+ account through the Roku ESPN App. Roku created the ESPN+ account inside of the Roku ESPN App and automatically took care of the billing, too, with my saved payment method in the Roku software.

So, if you want to watch ESPN+ everywhere BUT on Roku, subscribe through MyDisney. If you want to watch it at home on your Roku device, subscribe through the Roku ESPN App.

These are two different subscriptions.

NOW what I do not understand is this: I wonder if you subscribe to Disney App on Roku if you can then get ESPN+ on Roku that way some how? I just wanted the ESPN+ on my Roku. I have not explored the question for me of being able to watch your Roku apps on a computer or phone so maybe you can watch ESPN+ everywhere using Roku...

[Asellus]

I am very confused by all of this, but all I can say is that if you have the Disney bundle that has ESPN +, you can watch ESPN + through the Disney app.

The ESPN app is very buggy in general. Right now the continue watching list is broken on the Roku version of the ESPN app, and I have been clicking on some ESPN + replays right now in the ESPN app and occasionally it will give me a connection error message. I have had various problems with it through all of last year. So for now I am mostly watching my ESPN + replays through the Disney app. Unfortunately, I still have to use the ESPN app for my ESPN 3 replays that I have access to through my internet provider since only ESPN + is accessible through the Disney app.

ESPN + does also play through the Hulu app if you have the Disney bundle, but I find I get a better experience through the Disney app. Not sure if this helps you or not, but for now I am going to stick with this workaround. Hopefully when they fully launch ESPN direct to consumer they will have a new ESPN app that works without glitches.

[nhull02]

I subscribe to EPSN+ I can watch games on my phone perfectly fine but when I try using my Roku, it says I need to “get access” I have double and triple checked I am logged into the same ESPN+ account on my Roku as I am on my phone. 

[Asellus]

Well, like @RobertLeth said, it probably is broken for anything other than a subscription through Roku right now. I can't really answer as to that. I signed up for an annual subscription through Roku for ESPN + in 2022, and then sometime in 2023 I wanted Disney +, so I decided to sign up for the Disney Bundle through the Disney.com website. That might be the only reason it works for me.

But to be honest, I had so much trouble with the ESPN app last year, with the price hike I decided to cancel it. I mostly only use it to watch Grand Slam tennis, and I didn't feel it was worth it for the whole year since I can only get the ESPN app on Roku to function half the time. Maybe when my Roku subscription expires in May for ESPN + and I get it through the Disney website for the months I need it, it will not work for me on Roku either.

In my experience, if you get a subscription through Roku, you can't use your subscription on other platforms. I just logged into the ESPN website on my computer, and I had no problems logging in with my Disney account and viewing ESPN + replays.

[renojim]

@nhull02, I'm going to throw this out there without knowing anything about ESPN+ or your subscription, but in the past I've seen subscriptions to various services (especially free ones from a mobile provider) that give you access via a phone, but not a TV.

[RobertLeth]

That is interesting!

[RobertLeth]

Yeah and then if you go to ESPN they tell you to contact Roku. Perhaps contacting tech support for either service would help? I am sure both companies know of the issues...