ESPN and ESPN2 are beginning a U.S. rollout of full-time 4K HDR broadcasts, starting on the ESPN App for iOS and tvOS and later expanding to other connected-TV platforms, Disney+ for ESPN Unlimited subscribers, and pay-TV providers. The upgrade—covering Monday Night Football, NBA, NHL, select college football and US Open tennis events, and marquee shows like Super Bowl LXI—reflects a major infrastructure investment in an IP-based distribution pipeline built with Evertz to improve picture quality and future-proof ESPN’s linear and streaming delivery.
Feature September 8, 2026 | ESPN Communications This week, ESPN and ESPN2 will begin rolling out in 4K HDR in the U.S., elevating picture quality for fans during one of the highest stakes stretches of the year for live sports. This includes all ESPN productions of Monday Night Football , NBA and NHL plus select live events across college football and US Open tennis, and marquee live events like Super Bowl LXI. This update will deliver clearer edges, sharper colors and smoother movement — all critically important for delivering a richer and more immersive viewing experience for sports fans. The ESPN App on iOS and tvOS will be the first to support the new experiences, with additional connected TV platforms to follow, as well as on Disney+ in the U.S. to ESPN Unlimited subscribers. We will also have the ability to deliver the networks in 4K HDR through traditional and digital pay-TV providers (MVPDs and DMVPDs). As the rollout expands, fans will start seeing 4K HDR badging on living room devices and HDR badging on mobile. A modern pipeline built from the ground up Behind the enhanced picture quality that fans will start to experience this week, the introduction of 4K HDR marks an important milestone to modernize ESPN’s content distribution pipeline from the ground up. Delivering 4K HDR full-time on ESPN and ESPN2 required coordinated investment across every stage of the signal chain — from how content is captured in Bristol to how it reaches a fan’s screen. The new architecture, built in partnership with Evertz’s Mediator/Overture/Magnum and VUE products, is IP-based and endpoint agnostic. This new foundation sets the stage for us to deliver best-in-class experiences across both linear and streaming distribution — serving our sports fans. Anytime. Anywhere. More platforms will come online this fall as the rollout continues toward the postseason and Super Bowl LXI, extending 4K HDR further across how fans experience live sports with ESPN.
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: espnpressroom.com
ESPN2, ESPN App, Disney+, ESPN Unlimited, U.S. Open, Monday Night Football, NBA, NHL, Super Bowl LXI, Evertz, MVPDs, DMVPDs
ESPN2: ESPN2 is a sports television network that will begin offering 4K HDR broadcasts alongside ESPN as part of a rollout in the U.S.
ESPN App: The ESPN App is a mobile and tvOS application that will be the first platform to support ESPN and ESPN2's new 4K HDR viewing experiences.
Disney+: Disney+ is a streaming platform that will carry ESPN programming in 4K HDR for U.S. ESPN Unlimited subscribers.
ESPN Unlimited: ESPN Unlimited is a Disney+/ESPN subscription tier that will receive ESPN and ESPN2 content in 4K HDR on Disney+ in the U.S.
U.S. Open: US Open is a major tennis event that will have select live matches available in ESPN’s 4K HDR rollout.
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