ESPN Deal to Acquire NFL Network is Reportedly ‘All But Signed’ as League Set to Invest in Family of Networks
ESPN has been working toward a deal with the league for months, though it’s still unclear what NFL Media content will continue if a pact is reached.
It looks like ESPN is ready for even more football. The channel has been home to “Monday Night Football” since 2006, but it appears that ESPN is about to add a much greater selection of NFL content. A report from Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk indicates that the league is drawing close to an agreement with ESPN that will see the league gain an equity stake in the family of networks, and in exchange, ESPN will take over operations of NFL Network.
Key Details:
- ESPN and the NFL were reported to be in “advanced talks” for a deal in January.
- Disney has been seeking minority partners for ESPN, partially to help fund its future streaming ambitions.
- Having more NFL content could help the joint venture streaming platform featuring ESPN alongside channels from Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Discussions between ESPN and the NFL surrounding this potential deal have been going on since at least January, when the two were reported to be in “advanced talks.” A deal with such far-reaching consequences cannot be rushed, however, and discussions are continuing. According to Florio, industry circles believe the announcement of an official pact could come as soon as this week. He cites one source who told him that an agreement is “all but signed,” though, in the world of TV deals where millions, potentially billions of dollars are on the line, no deals are truly done until pen hits paper.
There have been plenty of signs that the NFL was closing in on a deal with ESPN to hand over control of NFL Network. In early April, the channel cut longtime personalities like Andrew Siciliano, Melissa Stark, James Palmer, and others, and late last week news circulated that it had also canceled “NFL Total Access” after 21 years on the air.
ESPN has been on the hunt for a strategic partner since 2023. Disney has spoken with multiple potential allies, including tech companies like Google and mobile distributors like Verizon about purchasing a minority stake in the network’s operations, but the NFL has been at the top of its list for quite some time.
Will NFL Network Content Help Further ESPN’s Streaming Ambitions?
Disney’s motivation in seeking investors to buy into ESPN has to do with its plans for the network. A joint venture live TV streaming service currently in the construction stage from Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery that features the sports content of all three companies would clearly benefit from having more football-related content. Getting more NFL news, highlights, and analysis could be crucial for the JV in attracting viewers, as it currently appears that WBD could potentially lose its national NBA rights package to NBC.
But ESPN also wants to launch a standalone streaming add-on to Disney+ that will offer features not found in the JV platform, and this could offer viewers even more NFL-themed content that won’t be found on the shared service with Fox and WBD. Disney CEO Bob Iger has promised that the standalone service will be a distinct product from the JV and will provide different features, experiences, and functions. Having the rights to NFL Network and its stable of talent could be a big help in creating a unique customer experience on the service.
An investment by the NFL in ESPN once seemed like a Hail Mary, but it now appears the two sides have moved the ball to the goal line. Whether they’ll be able to punch it in or not remains to be seen, but an announcement could come in the next few days that the NFL has become an official partner of ESPN and that big changes will be on the way for the NFL Network as it’s folded into ESPN’s coverage.
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