Thursday, November 5, 2026

Sports Media Rights Could Surpass $60B Globally By 2024

  • The NFL is No. 1 in the world, holding 15% of the sports media rights market in 2022.
  • Roughly 97% of income from the NFL’s media rights deals is domestic.
ESPN Monday Night Football camera films game
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

Media rights for live sports are more valuable than ever. 

Their global value has reached $55 billion in 2022 and is expected to surpass the $60 billion mark in the next two years. 

Live sports have become a valuable commodity thanks to expensive contracts with major networks and streaming services, including domestic rights deals for the NFL and Indian Premier League.

  • In 2021, the combined global value of all sports media rights was $54.45 billion.
  • The NFL is No. 1 in the world, holding 15% of the sports media rights market in 2022.
  • Roughly 97% of income from the NFL’s media rights deals is domestic. 

In 2021, the NFL finalized media rights deals with CBS, NBC, Disney, FOX, and Amazon worth a collective $113 billion over 11 seasons.

cam_newton_holding_football

NFL Locks In $113 Billion in Media Rights

The NFL finalized its media rights deals with NBC, CBS, Fox, Disney,…
March 18, 2021

As part of the deals, Amazon received exclusive rights to “Thursday Night Football” — the first time a tech company has held exclusive NFL rights. 

CBS retained its AFC package for Sundays, while Fox kept the NFC Sunday package it has held since 1994. Disney kept “Monday Night Football” on ESPN, and NBC retained rights to “Sunday Night Football.”

Another Coveted League 

In June, Viacom18 — a joint venture between Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries, Paramount Global, and investment company Bodhi Tree Systems — secured streaming rights to the IPL in a five-year, $2.6 billion deal.

The Indian subcontinent has a combined sports media rights value of $1.2 billion, ranking 10th in the world.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

LPGA golfers pose for a photo during WTGL Media Day at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on September 20, 2026.
First at FOS

WTGL’s First Season Will Pay Players $11M in Prize Money

Individual player payouts will be tied to team finish and player participation.
ESPN analyst Pat McAfee broadcasts live from the sidelines of Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA prior to the start of the Pittsburgh Panthers vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish game on November 15, 2025.
Opinion

How Did Pat McAfee Get So Polarizing?

Some of the criticism is self-inflicted. Some of it is unfair.

Is the Lamar Jackson Era Over in Baltimore?

Jackson’s contract situation hangs over the franchise.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

11/5/26 – Owners’ $100M Midterm Miss, College Sports Bill’s Uncertain Future, Peyton Tops ‘MNF’ List

0:00

Featured Today

Pickering High School North

High School Athletic Directors Say They’re Running ‘Mini Colleges’

ADs are managing a growing list of demands from athletes and parents.
October 30, 2026

How Injuries Hit Pro Marathoners in the Wallet

Staying healthy can get expensive—quickly.
Football - NFL - Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 18, 2026 The necklace of a Jacksonville Jaguars fan outside the stadium before the match
October 21, 2026

Die-Hard Sports Fandom Has Reached the Afterlife

Will fans pay $6,000 to memorialize their team loyalty?
October 20, 2026

Why Europe Is Pumping Out NBA Superstars

The NBA and NCAA have an increasingly European flavor.
October 15, 2026

College Flag Football Is Outgrowing Its DIY Era

Women have been building the college game themselves at the club level.

College Football TV Ratings Remain Down 11% Through October

Four games total have drawn an audience of 10 million or higher.
Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; The ESPN logo at the Super Bowl LIX media center at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Exclusive
November 3, 2026

ESPN Hires The Athletic Editorial Director Sergio Gonzalez

The move comes three months after ESPN eliminated Roxanna Scott’s editor-in-chief role.
Oct 31, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries players hold the trophy after winning the 2026 WNBA Finals against the Atlanta Dream at Chase Center
November 3, 2026

WNBA Finals Game 7 Draws 3.3M Viewers

The series averaged nearly 1.9 million viewers, the most for a Finals.
Sponsored

How Jeremy Bloom Is Reinventing the X Games

Jeremy Bloom discusses transforming the X Games into a global brand.
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) talks to CW sports after the game at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, November 22, 2025.
First at FOS
November 3, 2026

The CW Eyes TNT Sports Rights and More CFP Games

TNT Sports’s portfolio includes the NHL, MLB, and French Open.
Jul 11, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; ESPN reporter Michael Wilbon prior to the Phoenix Suns against the Milwaukee Bucks in game three of the 2021 NBA Finals at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
November 2, 2026

Michael Wilbon Takes Indefinite Leave From ESPN, PTI for Health Reasons

The longtime “PTI” cohost insists he’s not retiring.
February 20, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; TNT broadcaster Ernie Johnson Jr. after the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
November 2, 2026

Ernie Johnson Wants NBA to Cut Regular Season Below 82 Games

The TNT Sports host specifically pointed to the Thunder’s recent injuries.
Mar 29, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; View of a camera with a Fox Sports logo before the game between the Houston Astros and the New York Mets at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
November 2, 2026

Fox Rides World Cup to $4.57B Quarter As Thanksgiving Hopes Fade

The network’s holiday hopes are dimming with a less attractive NFL matchup.