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ESPN Adds DJ Khaled to NFL Wild-Card Coverage Plans

    • ESPN will “MegaCast” its Jan. 10 NFL wild-card playoff game in a play to appeal to new viewers.
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ESPN has tapped an eclectic cast for its first “MegaCast” coverage of an NFL wild-card playoff game, making a play to acquire new viewers as NFL media rights negotiations are underway.

Specialized coverage of Baltimore Ravens-Tennessee Titans on Jan. 10 will air across six Walt Disney Co. networks — ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes, ABC, and Freeform — and feature announcers and analysts from multiple ESPN shows.

ESPN’s Maria Taylor, Jesse Palmer and unannounced special guests will target younger fans with a “Watch Party” on Disney’s Freeform channel, and include pop culture conversations alongside game commentary.

DJ Khaled, who hinted in a tweet that he has “surprises” in store, will perform at halftime during the Freeform broadcast. The Grammy-winning artist is known for his collaborations with superstars like Drake and Beyoncé.

The network will tap its more traditional NFL talent for the other broadcasts, including a betting and analytics-focused ESPN+ stream.

ViacomCBS plans to air its own Jan. 10 wild-card game on Nickelodeon with special effects like slime and virtual filters.

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