Study: Support Wanes For ESPN

A new study suggests that just 6% would pay for a modestly priced over-the-top digital TV ESPN package, but that nearly 60% of people would drop ESPN to save $8 a month from their traditional pay TV monthly service.

MediaPost reports BTIG Research had the study conducted by consumer marketing company Civic Science, which surveyed 1,582 consumers. Eighty-seven percent of these respondents subscribed to multichannel TV packages.

Fifty-six percent of consumers surveyed said they would remove ESPN/ESPN2 -- 60% female respondents and 49% male respondents. BTIG says the results did not vary by age group, with Millennials, Gen-xers and boomers reporting similar results.

Media analysts have been concerned that ESPN could see some additional steep subscriber declines.

The cable sports network had witnessed subscriber drops, resulting a drop in parent company Walt Disney’s stock price and causing a ripple effect for other media companies.

The study says only 6% would subscribe to ESPN/ESPN for $20 a month under a direct-to-consumer model; 85% say they would not pay for this package; and 9% were not sure.