The ESPN app on Apple TV 4K and iPhone now streams live sports in 4K HDR in the U.S. The upgrade covers the ESPN and ESPN2 networks and arrives in the middle of football season.
ESPN announced the rollout last month, with the iOS and tvOS apps first in line. Viewers get a sharper picture on the biggest live broadcasts, and new badges in the app show which streams carry the higher quality video.
Monday Night Football, NBA and NHL broadcasts are all covered
ESPN says every one of its productions of Monday Night Football, NBA games and NHL games gets the 4K HDR treatment. Select live events across college football and US Open tennis are included too. For most iPhone and Apple TV 4K owners, that means a large share of their weekly viewing now comes in the better quality tier.
The full list from ESPN looks like this:
- All ESPN productions of Monday Night Football
- All ESPN productions of NBA games
- All ESPN productions of NHL games
- Select live college football events
- Select live US Open tennis events
- Marquee events, including Super Bowl LXI
ESPN says the update delivers “clearer edges, sharper colors and smoother movement” for live sports. Fast motion is where that kind of change shows up most, so football and hockey broadcasts are the easiest place to spot it.
As the rollout expands, ESPN says viewers will see 4K HDR badging on living room devices and HDR badging on mobile. The badges mark which streams carry the upgraded video, so you can tell at a glance whether a game is getting it.
More platforms and Disney+ are lined up behind the Apple apps
The iOS and tvOS apps are the first to support the new experience. ESPN says additional connected TV platforms follow, along with Disney+ for ESPN Unlimited subscribers in the U.S. The company can also deliver both networks in 4K HDR through traditional and digital pay-TV providers.
More platforms are due this fall as the rollout continues toward the postseason and Super Bowl LXI. ESPN has not named which devices come next or given dates for them.
The change sits on a rebuilt distribution pipeline. ESPN says delivering 4K HDR full-time on ESPN and ESPN2 took changes at every stage of the signal chain, from capture in Bristol to the screen in your hand. The new IP-based setup was built with Evertz products.
Apple TV 4K owners get the upgrade ahead of most other living room devices, and Apple is also expected to launch a new Apple TV 4K this fall. The ESPN app has picked up Apple features before, including FaceTime SharePlay support on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV in 2022.
