• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
The Best Employers in Sports survey is open through Nov. 6 Learn More

ESPN Paying For Record Amount Of Primetime NFL Games And Cashing In

  • Disney’s ESPN and ABC networks will air 21 NFL broadcasts in primetime this season.
  • The company is paying $2.7 billion annually for NFL rights, more than any other broadcaster.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

It wasn’t that long ago that ESPN was paying more for its NFL media deal than any other broadcast rightsholder — but still being treated like the league’s little brother. 

That all changed when the NFL signed its latest set of media contracts totalling more than $110 billion. 

ESPN’s $2.7 billion annual fee is still higher than the NFL’s other broadcast partners, but the Disney-owned network is finally getting its fair share of the football pie. This year, ESPN and ABC will air 21 NFL games in primetime — a record for Disney and the second-most ever for a single company in one NFL season.

The rights fee isn’t the only big spending ESPN is doing, either. Between announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, plus the “ManningCast” duo of Peyton and Eli, the network is reportedly paying around $50 million for its “Monday Night Football” broadcasters.

While the costs are enormous, ESPN is already seeing the benefits of being in the NFL’s good graces. Week 1’s New York Jets-Buffalo Bills telecast set an “MNF” record with 22.64 million viewers. Last season, “MNF” averaged 13.789 million viewers across 17 games, down 2% from 2021. At its most recent low point in 2017, it averaged less than 11 million viewers.

Monday night kicks off two straight weeks of “MNF” doubleheaders on ESPN and ABC. In another sign the ESPN-NFL relationship is thriving once again, “MNF” gets a Super Bowl LVII rematch between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11 — a high-profile broadcast typically awarded to NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” or a premier Sunday late-afternoon slot on Fox or CBS.

With the NFL seemingly hotter than ever, ESPN has even held talks with the league — among others — about acquiring an equity stake in the network.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

2024 NFL Trade Deadline More Active Than 2023

Several big-name players found new homes.

400 People Showed Up to WTA Saudi Final With $15 Million Purse

The WTA is in the first year of a three-year agreement with Saudi Arabia.

Twins At Crossroads: Team Sale, Media Shifts, and Rising Competition

Team officials look to maintain “business as usual” amid growing uncertainty.

2024 NFL Trade Deadline Live Updates: Lattimore Bolsters Commanders Defense

The 2024 NFL Trade Deadline is at 4:00. Which teams have added talent and salary?
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

The NFL Player Set to Inherit a US Potato Empire

0:00

Featured Today

NFL Center Connor McGovern Is the Heir to a Potato Empire

The NFL vet’s family provides potatoes for McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and others.
Vanderbilt Commodores fans head to the south end zone as the goal post is taken down by exuberant fans after beating No. 1 Alabama 40-35 at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.
opinion
November 2, 2024

Something New in College Football This Year: Parity

Upsets, surprises. CFB is more fun on the field than the NFL.
Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump waves flanked by former Georgia Bulldogs player Herschel Walker, recording art Kid Rock, professional golfer John Daily, Alabama senators Tommy Tuberville (R) and Katie Britt (R) during the second half of the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
November 1, 2024

Mission Swing State: College Football’s Political Advertising Battle

Trump, Harris, and the PACs that support them are utilizing the sport.
October 31, 2024

The Untapped Revenue ‘Powder Keg’ of Women’s NFL Fandom

There’s a “boatload” of money at stake for brands and the league.

ESPN’s Jason Kelce Avoids Discipline After Viral Fan Confrontation

The dust continues to settle from Jason Kelce’s viral confrontation.
Tom Brady
November 4, 2024

Tom Brady Won’t Be Punished for Criticizing Packers-Lions Ejection

The “Brady Rules” faced their biggest test so far after Sunday’s broadcast.
November 4, 2024

Sports Drive Fox Corp.’s Revenue Despite Election Ad Overload

The Fox Sports parent posted increases in revenue and earnings.
Sponsored

World Series Delivers High-Demand Marquee Matchup

The hype around the World Series matchup drove ticket prices to record levels—but the Dodgers’ dominance quickly quieted the fervor.
Fubo-TV
November 1, 2024

Fubo Reports 9% Subscriber Growth As Venu Sports Trial Looms

The sports-focused streamer grew revenue by 21%.
Adam Schefter
November 1, 2024

Adam Schefter Uses Same Pirated NFL Clips As Everyone Else

ESPN’s NFL insider posted a video from an illegal stream Thursday night.
October 31, 2024

World Series Delivers 7-Year Ratings Record, Marking MLB’s Big Comeback

Viewership of the five-game win by the Dodgers soared by 74% over last year.
October 31, 2024

Comcast’s Olympic Gold: Paris Games Spark Surge in Peacock Subscribers

Company revenue and Peacock subscriptions rise thanks to a big Olympics boost.