LOS ANGELES, 5 August (Reuters) -Walt Disney’s ESPN has concluded a historic deal with the National Football League to acquire the NFL network and other media activa of the competition in exchange for the NFL that takes a 10% interest in the sports network in the sports network, the parties said on Tuesday. The deal, which, according to ESPN, would strengthen the offer about the upcoming ESPN streaming service, is subject to the approval of the regulations. Financial conditions have not been announced.
ESPN also acquires NFL Fantasy, a digital offer, and will get the rights to distribute the NFL Redzone television channel for its cable and satellite television clients.
“Today’s announcement makes the way for the world’s leading sports media brand and the most popular sport in America to offer an exciting experience for NFL fans, in a way that only ESPN and Disney can,” said Disney CEO Robert Iger in a statement. The athletics, who reported for the first time last week that a deal was imminent, said that, according to sources, it might be worth billions of dollars. ESPN refused to comment on the reported figure.
The ESPN streaming service, of which IGer has said it could already launch this month, costs $ 29.99 per month.
It offers access to ESPN’s portfolio or Professional and College Sports, including the NFL, NBA and WNBA, MLB and the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, as well as studio shows such as “Sportscenter” and “Pardon the Interruption”.
“By combining this NFL media assets with the reach and innovation of ESPN, we create a first destination for football fans,” said ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro in a statement.
The competition launched the NFL network in 2003, because it tried to use the income generated by cable and satellite subscriptions. Although it got grip and introduced on Thursday evening football, it was never founded to become an ESPN rival.
Under the new agreement, ESPN would have the TV and streaming rights and operation of the NFL network, which will continue to wear seven games per year.
“The sale of the network to ESPN will build on this remarkable legacy and offers more NFL football for more fans in new and innovative ways,” said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Redzone is a service with which fans can view scoring options during NFL matches on Sunday afternoon.
The competition will continue to own, operate and produce NFL Redzone and retain rights to distribute it digitally. The competition also retains ownership of certain media properties, such as NFL films, and platforms such as the NFL Podcast Network and NFL+.
(Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine; Edit by Jamie Freed)
