ESPN Acquires NFL Network

ESPN is acquiring the NFL Network and certain other assets from the football league in exchange for a 10 percent stake in the global sports platform.

ESPN’s deal with the NFL also includes control of the linear RedZone Channel and NFL Fantasy Football. NFL Network will be fully integrated into ESPN’s upcoming direct-to-consumer platform, set for an August 21 launch, and will continue to be distributed to pay-TV providers. NFL RedZone Channel is also being made available to third-party platforms. NFL Fantasy Football will merge with ESPN Fantasy Football. As part of the deal, ESPN will license an additional three NFL games per season to air on NFL Network and adjust its overall NFL game schedule, with four games shifting to the NFL Network.

“Today’s announcement paves the way for the world’s leading sports media brand and America’s most popular sport to deliver an even more compelling experience for NFL fans, in a way that only ESPN and Disney can,” said Robert A. Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “Commissioner Goodell and the NFL have built outstanding media assets, and these transactions will add to consumer choice, provide viewers with even greater convenience and quality, and expand the breadth and value proposition of Disney’s streaming ecosystem.”

“Since its launch in 2003, NFL Network has provided millions of fans unprecedented access to the sport they love,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “Whether it was debuting Thursday Night Football, televising the Combine, or telling incredible football stories through original shows and breaking news, NFL Network has delivered. The network’s sale to ESPN will build on this remarkable legacy, providing more NFL football for more fans in new and innovative ways.”

“This is an exciting day for sports fans,” said Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN. “By combining these NFL media assets with ESPN’s reach and innovation, we’re creating a premier destination for football fans. Together, ESPN and the NFL are redefining how fans engage with the game—anytime, anywhere. This deal helps fuel ESPN’s digital future, laying the foundation for an even more robust offering as we prepare to launch our new direct-to-consumer service.”

ESPN and the NFL also extended ESPN’s NFL Draft rights and are adding NFL programming and content to ESPN’s upcoming DTC service. As part of the expanded deal, ESPN will be able to sell and bundle NFL+ Premium, the league’s DTC service that launched in 2022, with its own DTC service.

The new ESPN streaming service is also set to be the exclusive U.S. home of all WWE Premium Live Events (PLEs), including WrestleMania starting in 2026. The ESPN DTC service will stream all WWE PLEs annually, in their entirety, with select simulcasting on ESPN linear platforms.

Pitaro said: “WWE has an immense, devoted and passionate fanbase that we’re excited to super-serve on our new ESPN DTC platform. This agreement, which features the most significant WWE events of the year, bolsters our unprecedented content portfolio and helps drive our streaming future.”

Mark Shapiro, president and COO of WWE parent TKO, added: “We are proud to reinforce the ‘E’ in ESPN at such an exciting juncture in its direct-to-consumer journey. WWE Premium Live Events are renowned for exactly the type of rich storytelling, incredible feats of athleticism and can’t-miss, cultural tentpole experiences that have become synonymous with ESPN. Through our UFC relationship, we have experienced firsthand how transformational an ESPN presence can be, and we know this will be an exceptional partnership at a time of great innovation for both companies.”

Nick Khan, president of the WWE, added: “WWE’s agreement with ESPN is a pivotal moment for our millions of fans across the United States: the leader in sports entertainment partnering with the biggest brand in sports media. Bringing WWE’s flagship events to ESPN’s platform is tremendously exciting. We know the sky is the limit.”