[St. Loser Fan]

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/S ... N-NFL.aspx

Disney, NFL reach agreement on new rights deal

BY JOHN OURAND
Friday, February 26, 2021

Disney and the NFL have reached a broad agreement on a new media rights deal that will see ESPN renew “MNF” and ABC return to the Super Bowl rotation for the first time since ‘06, according to sources. Contracts still have not been signed, but the two sides have smoothed over enough differences that a deal is very close at hand.

Sources said Disney is expected to pay an increase of up to 30% from its current deal, which based on an average of $2B per year would equate to around $2.6B. An agreement comes after news leaked last week of a stalemate between the two sides, which initially were so far apart in price that some ESPNers questioned whether to cut a deal.

The increase that Disney will pay is far below the other networks -- as Fox, CBS and NBC all are seeing the average annual value of their contracts double. ESPN is paying the highest rights fee in the current deal and the increase aligns Disney’s NFL package closer to its broadcast competitors.

Disney will pay more than other media companies for its “MNF” package, and the network will retain the highly coveted highlight rights, which provide year-round programming for ESPN’s studio shows. An undetermined number of regular-season games will be simulcast on ABC, which will produce a Super Bowl for the first time since ‘06.

Disney was the last linchpin for the NFL, which already had reached broad agreements with CBS, Fox and NBC. Media execs are optimistic that the league formally will announce all of its media deals at some point next week.

The new deals will look a lot like the old deals, with CBS and Fox keeping their Sunday afternoon packages and NBC keeping “SNF.” Sources said that CBS, Fox and NBC will be paying around $2B per year for their packages, a massive increase essentially doubling their current deals.

The biggest change will be with “TNF,” which will move from Fox to Amazon Prime and NFL Network. It is unclear what Amazon would be paying.

I'm glad to see nothing about a MNF double header. I was worried 1 or 2 Rams games a year would get stranded in that late start second game. We could have been talking 9:30 to 10pm Central kickoff.

But I have to chuckle as the "low" increase is a tacit admission that the MNF games generally stink.

[Elvis]

NFL saying not so fast:

[Elvis]

Amazon to possibly have some or all of TNF exclusively:

[St. Loser Fan]

Amazon to possibly have some or all of TNF exclusively:

Amazon can have TNF. Almost always turd games.

[sloramfan]

"amazon can have TNF. almost always turd games"...

i agree STL... but when the rams play...

go rams

slo

[St. Loser Fan]

"amazon can have TNF. almost always turd games"...

i agree STL... but when the rams play...

go rams

slo

Right, I’ll watch the game if it’s the Rams.

Plus I hope/assume they won’t leave the game stranded online for the two cities that are playing and will have OTA rebroadcasts.

[Elvis]

[Hacksaw]

Time to switch from DirecTv. Only with them for the ticket. No wonder they are offering a 50% discount.

[St. Loser Fan]

If Sunday Ticket goes online, I feel for the bigger sports bars that will need to get streaming devices for 10, 20 or 30 displays. Plus enough high speed bandwidth to run HD to all their TVs.

[RedAlice]

Their bigger issue would be that the Sunday Ticket would be more readily available to everyone and less people would HAVE to go to a sports bar to watch their game.

Which is great! I think it should be streaming and available to anyone who wants to purchase it. The only those who have Direct TV can get it this is BULLSHIT.