by: Nick Geddes • 9 minutes ago • NickGeddesNews
ESPN and the NFL are closing in on a deal for “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” to acquire NFL Media , per Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. Marchand reported that the deal could see ESPN acquire properties such as the NFL Network , the seven regular season games that currently air on the league-owned network and the Red Zone channel.
Both sides are “inside the 5-yard line” on a deal, Marchand wrote: “This could be a boon for ESPN ’s app, as well as in its future negotiations with cable and operators for its slew of networks. It could upsell Red Zone in the app, as well as demand more from operators (like YouTube TV , Fubo or cable systems) to continue to offer the service on its platform every Sunday in the fall.”
The potential deal comes as ESPN is soon to make its programming available in a direct-to-customer product. ESPN has coined it as “The Next Era.” It is set to cost $29.99 a month.
The Red Zone channel launched in 2009 and shows every touchdown and key play from every game around the league. Scott Hanson has hosted the show since its inception. Amid speculation that he could be moving on into a different role or with a new company, Hanson announced in May that he is returning to Red Zone in 2025.