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59m ago

Disney’s ESPN Agrees to Acquire NFL Media Assets in Multi-Billion-Dollar Deal Pending Trump Approval

Federal regulatory approval under the Trump Administration stands between ESPN, its planned standalone streaming debut with NFL assets.

3C2ET80 May 10, 2019 - Bristol, CT, USA - From left, Doug Kezirian, Clinton Yates and Jeremy Schaap prepare for a ''Friday Four'' episode of ESPN's ''Outside the Lines.'' OTL is one of the network's premier journalistic showcases. (Credit Image: © TNS via ZUMA Wire)
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Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; The ESPN logo at the Super Bowl LIX media center at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images/File Photo
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Overview

  • ESPN will take control of the NFL’s RedZone channel, NFL Network, online fantasy football services, and rights to seven additional regular-season games.
  • The NFL could receive up to a 10% equity stake in ESPN, reducing Disney’s ownership share from 80% to roughly 72%.
  • The transaction concludes nearly four years of negotiations and is set to anchor ESPN’s direct-to-consumer streaming platform launching later this month.
  • Final approval requires a nine- to twelve-month review by the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice.
  • Securing marquee NFL content is central to Disney’s strategy for boosting streaming subscriptions as traditional cable viewership declines.