By Disney’s ESPN is set to take over the NFL Network and RedZone, bringing American football’s top media platforms under one roof.
The National Football League (NFL) confirmed on Tuesday that it will sell most of its media businesses to ESPN. With this deal, the NFL will own 10% of ESPN, while Disney strengthens its position as a leader in live sports content.
The agreement is expected to close next year. Once it does, ESPN will control both the NFL Network, which broadcasts league games and news and RedZone, the popular highlight channel. Disney also gained the rights to show more league games.
ESPN is preparing to launch a new monthly streaming platform for $30, giving subscribers live sports, highlights, and access to its standard TV channels. For those already paying for ESPN on cable, the streaming version will come at no extra charge. There’s also a bundle on the way: get ESPN, Hulu, and Disney+ together for $36 a month, with an initial discount set at $30 for the first year.
Disney already owns 80% of ESPN, with 20% held by Hearst Communications. Bringing in the NFL Network and RedZone is one of the company’s biggest steps into live sports in years.
Big media companies and sports leagues are building tighter partnerships. Just last week, Fox bought a third of Penske Entertainment, which owns the IndyCar Series. ESPN also recently invested in a pro lacrosse league.
The NFL, teaming with ESPN means their games and content reach more fans across new platforms as traditional cable TV loses ground to streaming. NFL games remain the most-watched U.S. programs, drawing an average of over 17 million viewers per game last season.
Disney leaves no doubt that the company wants to hold on to live sports viewers and meet the demands of fans looking to stream their favourite games with this deal.
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