Overview
- U.S. and non‑U.S. antitrust authorities approved the transaction late Saturday, and ESPN and the NFL closed the agreement that night.
- ESPN acquires NFL Network, NFL Fantasy and linear distribution rights to RedZone, while the NFL retains NFL+, NFL.com, NFL Films and digital RedZone control.
- NFL Media employees begin moving to ESPN in April 2026, and NFL Network will be included in the $29.99 ESPN Unlimited streaming tier at no additional cost starting this fall.
- ESPN will televise 28 NFL games per season in 2026 as Monday Night Football doubleheaders end; seven games will air on NFL Network, and the league reclaimed four international games to resell.
- The NFL receives a 10% ownership stake in ESPN—now 72% owned by ABC Inc. and 18% by Hearst—with outside estimates valuing the stake in the multi‑billion‑dollar range.