The Walt Disney Company has been a long-time supporter of sports from hosting games to dedicating entire experiences to them.

As Disney celebrates the winners of the Super Bowl this year (and even welcomed a few of them to the parks), they have also been working hard with the NFL to discuss the future partnership of the two companies.

Forbes has reported that the Walt Disney Company and the National Football League (NFL) have reached a “broad agreement” on their media rights agreement. If signed, the Super Bowl would return to the ABC network for the first time in over a decade as ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” installment would be renewed.

Disney’s current deal with the NFL expires at the end of 2021, while Fox, CBS VIAC, and NBC’s agreements with the company are also set to end in 2022. As part of the new agreement, Disney will pay $2.6 billion annually for Monday Night Football, which is 30% higher than it does now and the most that a broadcaster has paid the NFL for rights to televise games.

However, it should be noted that the NFL has also reached broad agreements with CBS, Fox, and NBC, who pay $2 billion a year to broadcast the football games. As of this time, CBS and Fox will retain their Sunday afternoon television packages, NBC will show Sunday Night Football, and Amazon Prime will even broadcast the Thursday night game instead of Fox.

A 2020 MoffettNathanson client stated that “We originally thought ESPN would also make a move on the Thursday Night Football package currently at Fox, yet that outcome now seems less likely to us given the strain the COVID-19 pandemic and any subsequent fallout will place on Disney’s traditional businesses. In general, we continue to believe that retaining the NFL – simply the best and most important content – is the highest priority for all the league’s partners.”

Yet, Disney’s impending deal with the NFL could still see a few issues since it isn’t official just yet. NFL spokesman Alex Riethmiller has noted that “The report is incorrect, and as we don’t negotiate through the media, there will be no further comment.” But, Walt Disney CEO Bob Chapek has been more optimistic, stating “We’ve had a long relationship with the NFL. If there’s a deal that will be accretive to shareholder value, we will certainly entertain that and look at that.”

We’ll be sure to keep you updated on more news about Disney and the NFL moving forward. And, be sure to stay tuned with All Ears for all the Disney news that you need to know!

Take a look at this year’s Golden Globe winners (hint: Disney is one of them)!

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