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Posted in: NFL, Sports, streaming, TV | Tagged: espn, nfl
NFL Gets Stake in ESPN; ESPN Gets RedZone, NFL Network in New Deal
ESPN and the NFL have locked in a new deal that would give the NFL a 10% stake in ESPN, with ESPN getting the NFL Network and NFL RedZone.
Article Summary
- ESPN gains control of NFL Network and NFL RedZone in a landmark partnership with the NFL.
- NFL receives a 10% stake in ESPN, valued at approximately $2.2-$2.5 billion in the new agreement.
- Deal includes transfer of seven more NFL games to ESPN and a merger of fantasy football products.
- Regulatory review and NFLPA approval could delay the rollout for up to a year, experts suggest.
Last week, The New York Times via The Athletic reported that ESPN and the NFL were close to a headline-grabbing deal. Now, it's official. The NFL will be getting a 10% stake in ESPN (with an estimated value of $2.2-$2.5 billion). In return, ESPN will be taking on the NFL Network and NFL RedZone, as well as seven additional NFL games (previously airing on the league's cable service). In addition, ESPN and the NFL will merge their respective fantasy football properties. The NFL will continue to operate NFL Films, the NFL+ streamer, and the official sites for the NFL's 32 clubs, and retains the rights to distribute NFL RedZone digitally.
Heading into today's announcement, ESPN and the NFL already had a $2.7B per year deal in place. ESPN serves as the home to "Monday Night Football," a total of 25 football games per season, and the rights to the 2027 and 2031 Super Bowls. As for when all of this could go down, don't start holding your breath quite yet. Experts say that getting the deal through regulatory review could very well take up to a year. In addition, the NFL Players Association is expected to examine the deal for anything that would have a negative impact on the revenue coming from media rights (which is shared with the players).
"Today's announcement paves the way for the world's leading sports media brand and America's most popular sport to deliver an even more compelling experience for NFL fans, in a way that only ESPN and Disney can," said Robert A. Iger, Walt Disney's CEO, in a statement. "Commissioner Goodell and the NFL have built outstanding media assets, and these transactions will add to consumer choice, provide viewers with even greater convenience and quality, and expand the breadth and value proposition of Disney's streaming ecosystem."
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