Report: ESPN Buys NFL Network and NFL RedZone

Update: This report turned out to be half true. ESPN bought NFL Network, but not NFL RedZone. Read the story.

It’s a done deal. The Athletic reports ESPN will take over the NFL Network and NFL RedZone. In exchange, the NFL will own a chunk of ESPN, rumored to be as much as 10 percent.

Reporter Andrew Marchand writes, “ESPN is expected to have access to RedZone, NFL Network, seven more regular-season games, the NFL’s fantasy football business, potential to integrate special features (including betting) and potentially more assets.”

The deal will face regulatory approval, which will take several months. These days, all that’s required for a merger is a bribe to the Trump administration.

All of this comes as ESPN is set to unleash its direct-to-consumer streaming app in the next few weeks.

This deal will not affect NFL Network, NFL RedZone, or NFL+ for the 2025-26 season, but things could change dramatically next year as ESPN will probably try to do away with NFL+ or incorporate these channels as ESPN app exclusives at a higher price, of course.

ESPN was in more than 100 million cable homes in 2011. Toward the end of 2024 that figure had dropped to 65.3 million, according to Nielsen.per year and has the rights to two Super Bowls in 2027 and 2031.