ESPN open to more equity deals with major sports leagues
ESPN open to more equity deals with major sports leagues
The channel would always listen to a compelling offer, president Jimmy Pitaro said at a conference this week.
In early August, ESPN and the NFL crossed the finish line on a deal that had been years in the making. The NFL agreed to sell a wide range of NFL Media properties, such as NFL Network, to ESPN, in exchange for a 10% equity stake in the channel. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval, but ESPN is already looking past that agreement to potential future opportunities. ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro confirmed as much during a talk at a Bank of America investor conference on Thursday.
Key Details:
- Not just anyone: Any equity deal involving ESPN will have to make “business sense,” according to Pitaro.
- Door is open: Any deals that would “advance the business” could be on the table for ESPN.
- Options abound: ESPN has previously explored similar equity deals with tech companies.
The deal between ESPN and the NFL isn’t closed yet; that won’t happen until regulators sign off on the deal. But it’s expected to be a transformative agreement that will bring more NFL games to ESPN channels and will bring the NFL Network completely under ESPN’s control. While ESPN is open to that kind of deal, Pitaro says that any similar agreement in the future has to have plenty of financial incentive for his channel.
“I would say to have it would have to make business sense,” Pitaro said. “We’re always interested in ways to advance the business and, just as importantly, ways to serve the sports fan. So if someone comes to us and presents a compelling opportunity, we’re of course going to listen.”
Pitaro also spoke more on the NFL deal, saying that the mutual trust and respect between the two sides will lead to bigger and better things in the future, especially in regard to NFL Network. While the league will continue to own and operate NFL Films, NFL+, NFL RedZone, and other properties, NFL Network itself will fall under total ESPN control.
“I don’t want to speak for the NFL, but I believe that they have seen what we can do on the studio side. I think they have a lot of trust and faith in us in terms of continuing to operate NFL Network consistent to how it’s it’s been operated in the past. So there’s a ton of excitement there,” Pitaro said.
If ESPN does want to sell more of itself to other companies in return for new content or better distribution, it will certainly have options. In 2023, the network explored partnerships with big tech companies like Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Verizon. Nothing came of those reports at the time, but with Pitaro’s words this week, they could soon be relevant again.
ESPN Unlimited
ESPN launched its highly anticipated direct-to-consumer streaming service on August 21, 2025. For the first time, this service gives sports fans access to its full lineup of linear channels without a traditional cable or satellite subscription.