After years of negotiations, the NFL and ESPN have agreed on a billion-dollar deal. The TV provider will take over “RedZone,” among other things.

Earthquake in the NFL media landscape: After years of negotiations, US sports network ESPN and the American football league have agreed on a billion-dollar deal that gives the TV broadcaster access to extensive NFL Media content.

ESPN is acquiring RedZone, NFL Network, and all fantasy football-related businesses, among other things. The sports channel will also be allowed to broadcast seven additional games per season live. In return, the NFL will acquire a ten percent stake in ESPN.

Negotiations had been ongoing for four years, but were repeatedly put on hold. The NFL had long wanted to divest itself of its media activities in order to focus on its core business. The deal still needs to be approved by the authorities, which could take between nine months and a year.

Long partnership between NFL and ESPN

RedZone will be added to ESPN’s offering as a standalone, add-on channel for viewers in the US. It is still unclear what impact the sale will have on availability for fans in Germany.

Meanwhile, the NFL Network has suffered from cutbacks for years, even though the league generates billions in revenue. According to informed sources, ESPN, which is part of the Disney Group, plans to invest in improving the program.

ESPN and the NFL have been working together on broadcasting rights since 1987. The network currently shows Monday Night Football exclusively and pays the NFL $2.7 billion annually for the rights. In 2027, ESPN will also broadcast the Super Bowl for the first time.