Key Points:
- ESPN is close to acquiring NFL Media, according to a report.
- The deal would include the NFL Network, NFL RedZone and exclusive game rights.
- A deal could strengthen ESPN’s forthcoming streaming plan, called “ESPN Unlimited,” launching soon at a price of $30 per month.
ESPN is closing in on a landmark agreement to acquire NFL Media, including its cable networks NFL Network and NFL RedZone, according to a report published on Wednesday.
The report, from the New York Times, said the deal with ESPN would also include select regular-season games that are relegated to NFL Network during the football year, most of which are games played overseas.
If the deal closes, NFL Network and NFL RedZone would be incorporated into a new streaming TV plan launching within the ESPN app later this year. The plan, called ESPN Unlimited, is slated to cost $30 per month and include cable-free, online access to ESPN’s sports multiplex and the streaming service ESPN Plus.
ESPN and the NFL are said to be within the “five-yard line,” a reference to a regulation NFL field. The end zone, where touchdowns are scored and points accrued, is four yards from the five-yard line; the metaphor suggests both sides are close to firming up an agreement.
A finalized deal would significantly strengthen ESPN’s digital strategy. NFL Media’s assets, particularly the Red Zone Channel and the NFL Network, could be bundled or upsold within the new app or used to secure higher carriage fees from streaming cable services such as Google-owned YouTube TV and Fubo.
The NFL and ESPN have declined to comment publicly on the report. ESPN is operated as a joint venture between Disney and Hearst Television.
NFL RedZone, a whip-around channel that offers live looks of Sunday games played on CBS and Fox, could prove especially valuable as a digital driver to ESPN Unlimited, the New York Times said.
NFL Network, which has suffered repeated rounds of layoffs and budget cuts, would likely see investment and expanded programming under ESPN’s stewardship. Though operational redundancies would lead to some job cuts, ESPN is expected to enhance the network’s content and relevance.
The deal would likely not include NFL Sunday Ticket, whose rights are held by Google-owned streaming platform YouTube for a few more years. Unclear is whether the deal will include NFL Channel, a free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) network that offers NFL shoulder programming, documentaries and game replays.
The scope of the transaction is expected to be significant, potentially involving a combination of cash and equity. It may also require a regulatory review period lasting up to nine months.
While final deal terms remain under wraps, assets on the table include seven exclusive NFL games currently aired on NFL Network and potential enhancements to sports betting and fantasy league integrations across ESPN’s platforms.
The timing is strategic for both sides. In 2024, 72 of the 100 highest-rated U.S. television broadcasts were NFL games. With media rights competition intensifying — other NFL rights holders have included Amazon and Netflix over the past few years — the NFL appears keen to deepen ties with long-time partner ESPN.
ESPN, which already pays $2.7 billion annually for 25 Monday Night Football games and will air its first Super Bowl in February 2027, may not be replicating the seismic shift it triggered with its 1987 deal for Sunday night games, but insiders say this agreement could prove equally pivotal in the streaming era.
