ESPN2

ESPN2
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaNationwide
HeadquartersBristol, Connecticut
Programming
Language(s)English and Spanish
Picture format720p (HDTV)
Downgraded to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed
Ownership
OwnerThe Walt Disney Company (80%)
Hearst Communications (20%)
ParentESPN Inc.
Sister channels
History
LaunchedOctober 1, 1993; 31 years ago (1993-10-01)
Links
Websiteespnpressroom.com/us/espn2-livesame-day-tape-event-schedule/
Availability
Streaming media
WatchESPN or ESPN appWatchESPN.com
(U.S. cable subscribers only; requires login from pay television provider to access content)
DirecTV StreamInternet protocol television
YouTube TVInternet protocol television
Hulu Live TVInternet protocol television
Sling TVInternet protocol television

ESPN2 is an American multinational pay television network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communications (which owns the remaining 20%).

ESPN2 was initially formatted as a younger-skewing counterpart to its parent network ESPN, with a focus on sports popular among young adult audiences (ranging from mainstream events to other unconventional sports), and carrying a more informal and youthful presentation than the main network. By the late 1990s, this mandate was phased out, as the channel increasingly became a second outlet for ESPN's mainstream sports coverage.

As of December 2023, ESPN2 is available to approximately 70 million pay television households in the United States—down from its 2011 peak of 100 million households.[1]

  1. ^ "U.S. cable network households (universe), 1990 – 2023". wrestlenomics.com. May 14, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2019.