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According to Nasdaq, Disney+ could wind up being more of a big deal by 2022 than its largest competitor – Netflix. In their Christmas Eve article, they noted that the app alone has racked up more than 2.3 million downloads with no signs of slowing down!
Some have pointed to Disney’s low price point as a big reason for those monstrous subscriber numbers. But Disney should see its U.S. revenue from direct-to-consumer streaming services reach levels comparable to, if not surpassing, Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) as soon as 2022.
Nasdaq
This is likely due to the fact that most movie theaters have remained shuttered and Disney+ came out of the gate with the irresistible price of $6.99 per month – about the amount of money that many people can afford to toss at a coffee in the morning. Aside from their decision to charge movie theater prices to those already paying a subscription fee to watch Mulan on their digital platform (Yes, I’m still salty about that, and no, the movie wasn’t that good, in my opinion), they’ve made some really incredible moves since launch.
During their 2020 Investor Day meeting, users were able to tune in and watch many of their announcements, even though the live stream was intended primarily for Disney’s investors – hence it’s name. They announced shovels full of new Disney, Pixar, National Geographic, Marvel, and Lucas Film properties and by the end of it, had everyone’s heads reeling. Being that this event took place on December 11, 2020, it really did a lot to wind everyone up and throw their money at Mickey Mouse and friends. If you’d like to watch the full live stream, I’ve linked it to the blue button below – otherwise, you can just search for the highlights on Youtube!
Because Disney also owns Hulu and ESPN+, Disney+ and several networks outside of the U.S. like Hotstar thanks to a recent merger, their subscriber numbers and traffic combined are currently destroying the ceiling that was previously thought to hover above them due to the success that Netflix has seen over the past two decades.
With that, they’ve decided to bump their price up a dollar – it will now cost $7.99, which isn’t bad, but it’s sure to go up more over time with such incredible value on the horizon. What do you think about all of the Disney+ news this past month? They’re really making waves, and I think that it’s sustainable since they’re one of the top four media companies in the world right now sitting right below AT&T, Alphabet, and Comcast.
