That may sound like a lot of fanfare, but ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer service has launched with much less of a circus than a media industry watcher might have expected one, three, even five years ago. That’s because ESPN is releasing a revolutionary new project that it doesn’t really want you to buy.

Disney and Fox say two new sports-heavy streaming services that debut Thursday aren't meant to kill traditional TV. They might just do it anyway. After keeping the bulk of their sports portfolios on cable,