ESPN Close To NFL Rights Extension Worth Nearly $2B Per Year

ESPN's deal to keep NFL rights would increase rights fee by 65-70% annually

ESPN and the NFL have agreed to broad terms on a new media rights deal that will be worth nearly $2B per year. Specific numbers still are difficult to confirm, but multiple sources say ESPN has told the NFL that it will increase its annual rights fee by 65-70%, which means it will pay the league a record fee, between $1.8-1.9B a year. Despite agreeing to pay the league nearly $2B per year to extend its rights to NFL content, including “MNF,” neither ESPN nor ABC will be in the rotation to carry the Super Bowl, according to several sources. In fact, it appears that ESPN still will not have the rights to televise any NFL playoff games, at least not initially. The league has long been unwilling to move playoff games off of broadcast televisi ...