Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Why You Should Upgrade to the Bundle Instead of Going for ESPN+

Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re looking forward to the next big UFC event and are hunting around for the best way to watch it online, you’ve probably realized already that you’ll need to sign up for ESPN+. But if you’ve already got your credit card ready, pump the brakes a bit: The Disney Bundle is a much better value, and it includes ESPN+. Here’s why you should consider upgrading to the bundle instead.

Don’t get us wrong: We love ESPN+. It’s a must-have for all sports fans, and it’s the go-to platform if you want to live stream UFC fights, as ESPN+ is the only place where you can watch UFC pay-per-view events live. But for the money, the Disney Bundle — which includes ESPN+, mind you — is simply the better value than paying for ESPN’s premium streaming platform by itself, and it’s not even close.

Recommended Videos

ESPN+ by itself costs $7 per month or $70 per year. For all you get, that’s not a bad deal by any means. But for $14 per month, the Disney Bundle gets you ESPN+ along with Disney+ and basic ad-supported Hulu. That saves you $7 per month off the price of each separate subscription, basically getting you ESPN+ for free. Alternatively, you can upgrade to ad-free Hulu for $7 more, which comes to $20 per month. That’s still not a bad bargain for the added luxury of not having your enjoyment interrupted with commercials.

The Disney Bundle is an especially great option for those who want to stream at home but don’t want to shell out the cash for a larger streaming package such as YouTube TV, Fubo, or even Hulu Live TV, which typically ring in at $65 per month (and naturally don’t include Disney+ and ESPN+). If you don’t watch a ton of standard TV programming, then that’s rather a lot to pay each year for a ton of channels you’re not likely to ever watch. Instead, the Disney Bundle gets you a myriad of shows, movies, and sports for a price so cheap you might not even notice that $14 monthly fee.

Still need some convincing? Check out our roundups of the best shows on Hulu, the best Disney+ series, the best Disney+ originals, and the best Hulu movies to see just a sample of what you get with the Disney Bundle. That’s on top of all the great sports content that comes with ESPN+. Already have one or more of these services that you pay for monthly? Don’t sweat it: You can still upgrade to the Disney Bundle for the $14/month price and enjoy the savings.

If you’re all about the UFC action, then another option that can save you some money is to

grab the ESPN+ bundle deal

that gets you a one-year subscription to ESPN’s streaming service plus the upcoming UFC pay-per-view for $90. That saves you $50 off the price of buying each separately; afterwards, you can upgrade to the Disney Bundle and your monthly bill will be adjusted to reflect your yearly ESPN+ subscription (which you already paid for). That’s not a bad way to stack the savings if you’re a UFC fan.

Lucas Coll
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Lucas Coll is a freelance commerce and affiliate writer for The Manual and our tech-focused brother site, Digital Trends…
Don’t ruin your cigars: here’s how to properly season a new humidor
Seasoning secrets every cigar lover could use
faceless man presenting a cigar humidor with cigars inside with gloved hands

If you're a newcomer to the world of cigars or just bought a brand-new humidor, you'll need to season it. And no, I'm not saying to add salt and pepper to it. If you've never heard of it, you might ask, "What is seasoning for a humidor?"

Don't think you need to flavor the box or anything — seasoning is really about getting the wood inside your humidor so as not to rob your cigars of precious moisture. Easy to understand, and getting it done is relatively straightforward as well. The trick is figuring out the "why," and we'll get into that in a bit. But let's first discuss seasoning a humidor.

Read more
The NBA’s ultimate celebration tool: The victory cigar
A look at the players and coaches who smoke to celebrate
Jordan smoking a cigar image on a bag

Sports are synonymous with celebration. After winning the biggest trophy of their lives, athletes want to indulge in the payoff that comes with seeing their dreams realized. Teams go into the locker room, where a waterfall of champagne hits them in the eyes, and swimming goggles seem to be a requirement, lest you walk around on the best night of your life half blind. While drinking is often the activity of choice after winning a championship, the NBA has an alternative symbol of greatness that other sports don't use nearly enough: the victory cigar.

Basketball is a team game, but it's also an individual canvas for solo superstardom. After winning an NBA championship, the coaches and players who sit atop the throne have long smoked a cigar in the locker room, during the parade, or even on the bench before the clock has hit zero. There's nothing quite like a good stogie to signify the ultimate win over the rest of the league, but how did the victory cigar get so ingrained in NBA championship celebrations? We want to take a walk down memory lane and look at some of the historical moments and people who made the cigar what it is within the NBA today.
Red Auerbach's victory cigar on the bench
Red Auerbach: The Story Behind the Victory Cigar + His Disdain of NBA Officials - Red on Roundball

Read more
The best medical shows of all time to binge now
From ER to The Pitt, these are the best medical shows ever made
Noah Wyle in the Pitt

Throughout TV's long history, the medical drama has occupied a somewhat unique place in the landscape. Medical shows are often some of the most reliable on TV precisely because there's so much drama built in to working in a hospital.

Personally, I've found the medical drama to be deeply comforting for years, even if I have no desire to be a doctor myself. Understanding the stress of people in the healthcare profession is fascinating in and of itself.

Read more