ESPN & NFL Close Deal For NFL Network, RedZone; What Does It Mean For You?

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Buy Me a Coffee!

The NFL and ESPN have closed their agreement that in return for the NFL to gain 10 percent of the sports network, ESPN will buy the NFL Network and cable/satellite licensing rights to the NFL RedZone channel.

The deal, which was approved over the weekend by federal regulators, will go into effect in April, the companies said. The agreement was first announced last August but had to get the federal green light before proceeding.

The NFL-ESPN deal should have two major impacts on the average football fan:

NFL Network Becomes Part of ESPN App
One, the NFL Network will be integrated into the ESPN Unlimited app sometime after April. The channel will be available as part of the app’s regular $29.99 a month fee and will not require a separate fee. This will certainly make the ESPN Unlimited app more valuable since the NFL Network will air seven NFL regular season games in 2026. (The channel will still be available on pay TV services such as cable and satellite.)

ESPN Can Create More RedZone Channels
Two, ESPN will be able to use its licensing rights to the RedZone name to create RedZone-like channels for college football and basketball, perhaps as early as the 2026 seasons. The new RedZone channels could include a partnership with Fox for their college hoops and gridiron contests.

ESPN will not include the NFL RedZone channel as part of the $29.99 a month app service. Instead, it will be available as an included feature in its NFL Plus Premium offering. The sports network will also offer NFL Plus Premium as part of a bundle with the ESPN Unlimited app.

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