Field of streams: ESPN
① Disney launches its first American direct-to-consumer business today with ESPN+, a subscription sport-streaming service delivering games not available on its regular cable channels.
② For a few bucks a month, the service will carry plenty of sports, but mostly lesser fare such as lower-profile university sports, some football leagues, cricket and golf.
③ It will also include one big-league baseball and ice-hockey game a day.
④ The offering intentionally skimps on most top-flight American contests so as not to draw customers away from the far more lucrative pay-TV channels that carry professional (American) football and basketball, and big college games.
⑤ It will therefore be a challenge to draw subscribers in great numbers.
⑥ But ESPN+ is an important test of concept: next year Disney will launch a streaming subscription service that will carry the company's many blockbuster films, as well as new, original programming.
⑦ The stakes will be higher in the sequel.
▍生词好句
field /fiːld/: n. 领域；田野
track and field: 田径
direct-to-consumer /kənˈsju:mə/: adj.（DTC）直面消费者的
subscription /səbˈskrɪpʃ(ə)n/: n. 订阅
deliver /dɪˈlɪvə/: vt. 放送；播放
game /ɡeɪm/: n. 比赛；游戏
channel /ˈtʃan(ə)l/: n. 频道
Chanel /ʃəˈnɛl/: 香奈儿
buck /bʌk/: n.（俗）美元
carry /ˈkari/: vt. 播放；播送
lesser /ˈlɛsə/: adj. 次要的
fare /fɛː/: n. 节目；费用
profile /ˈprəʊfʌɪl/: n. 简介；概况；侧影
low/high-profile: adj. 低调/高调的
keep a low/high profile: 保持低调/高调
job profile: 工作简介
cricket /ˈkrɪkɪt/: n. 板球
offering /ˈɒf(ə)rɪŋ/: n. 提供节目/产品（的方式）
skimp on /skɪmp/: 节省；吝惜
top-flight: adj. 顶级的；一流的
draw away: 分流；引开
lucrative /ˈlu:krətɪv/: adj. 盈利的；赚钱的
subscriber /səbˈskrʌɪbə/: n. 订阅用户
test of concept: 概念测试
blockbuster film /ˈblɒkbʌstə/: 大片
stake /steɪk/: n. 风险；利益
(be) at stake: 在危机关头
stakeholder /ˈsteɪkhəʊldə/: n. 利益相关人
▍补充例句
1. buck
Can I borrow a few bucks?
It's altogether 200 bucks.
2. fare
This is not a conventional Hollywood fare.
3. profile
He is not the sort of politician to keep a low profile for long / at all.
The star has a high profile in London.
Hu Ge has a killer profile.
4. skimp on
Don't skimp on self-development.
The homeworkers should never skimp on office supplies.
5. top-flight
They've hired a really top-flight team.
6. It's a challenge to do.
It's a challenge to be a mom.