Report: 'Growing concern' President Donald Trump could try to delay, block NFL-ESPN deal

by: Nick Schultz 25 minutes ago NickSchultz_7

Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As ESPN and the NFL look to complete their billion-dollar deal , The White House could step in. There is “growing concern” President Donald Trump could try to delay or block the agreement, Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy reported.

As part of the deal, Disney would acquire NFL RedZone and other NFL Media assets, The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported. ESPN would also have the rights to seven regular season games, the league’s fantasy football business, the potential to integrate special features like betting and potentially more assets.

The deal could be worth billions of dollars, according to The Athletic , and the NFL is expected to get up to a 10% stake in ESPN. However, there’s a sense Trump could step in, giving the magnitude of the agreement.

“What if Trump decides to stick his beak in?” a source told FOS . “This is a massive deal. It will require government oversight and approval. And we all know how Trump likes to poke the NFL from time to time.”

An announcement regarding the ESPN-NFL deal is expected next week, per The Athletic . Disney has its earnings call Aug. 6. Given the fact the two sides are reportedly ready to announce, another source told FOS that could mean they’re not concerned about whether Trump could delay or block the agreement.

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