ESPN’s billion-dollar acquisition of multiple NFL Media assets approved
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ESPN’s billion-dollar acquisition of multiple NFL Media assets approved
As part of the agreement, the NFL will take a 10 percent ownership stake in the Disney-owned network, which is valued in the billions. ESPN will own and operate NFL Network, become the official home of fantasy football by merging the NFL’s product with its own, and have the linear rights to the RedZone Channel.
While coverage for next week’s Super Bowl will remain unchanged, ESPN and NFL Network will become intertwined over time. The two networks already provide the most continuous on-air coverage of the league on TV.
NFL Network will be a part of ESPN’s family of networks that already include offshoots, like ESPN2, SEC Network and the ACC Network. ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who fight for scoops as insiders, could now appear on their once rival networks.
As part of the rights to the RedZone Channel, ESPN will also be able to use the name to create similar offerings for other sports, but there are some hiccups. In college football, for example, the network doesn’t own the rights to all the games. Other major sports, like the NBA, MLB and NHL, do not have the standalone quality of Sunday afternoons.
Digitally, on fantasy football, ESPN will roll the NFL’s platform into its own, with the network now becoming the official partner of the league. An NFL.com fantasy player would now be in a league run by ESPN.
The NFL and ESPN will do away with the “Monday Night Football” doubleheaders, shifting four of its overall games to NFL Network.
ESPN will broadcast 28 games per season, including NFL Network’s seven. NFL Network retained three games it already had. ESPN previously had 25 games. The NFL took back four games that it is expected to sell, potentially to one of the streamers.
Starting in the fall, anyone with ESPN Unlimited will have full access to NFL Network at the same current $29.99 per month price or through their cable or multichannel video programming distributor.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/700979 ... d=14677638
While coverage for next week’s Super Bowl will remain unchanged, ESPN and NFL Network will become intertwined over time. The two networks already provide the most continuous on-air coverage of the league on TV.
NFL Network will be a part of ESPN’s family of networks that already include offshoots, like ESPN2, SEC Network and the ACC Network. ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who fight for scoops as insiders, could now appear on their once rival networks.
As part of the rights to the RedZone Channel, ESPN will also be able to use the name to create similar offerings for other sports, but there are some hiccups. In college football, for example, the network doesn’t own the rights to all the games. Other major sports, like the NBA, MLB and NHL, do not have the standalone quality of Sunday afternoons.
Digitally, on fantasy football, ESPN will roll the NFL’s platform into its own, with the network now becoming the official partner of the league. An NFL.com fantasy player would now be in a league run by ESPN.
The NFL and ESPN will do away with the “Monday Night Football” doubleheaders, shifting four of its overall games to NFL Network.
ESPN will broadcast 28 games per season, including NFL Network’s seven. NFL Network retained three games it already had. ESPN previously had 25 games. The NFL took back four games that it is expected to sell, potentially to one of the streamers.
Starting in the fall, anyone with ESPN Unlimited will have full access to NFL Network at the same current $29.99 per month price or through their cable or multichannel video programming distributor.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/700979 ... d=14677638