"ESPN's purchase of NFL Network and other league digital assets has been finalized after government regulators approved the transaction. The league and ESPN officially announced the closing of the deal Saturday night after the Justice Department and other non-US antitrust authorities completed their reviews. ESPN acquired NFL Network, NFL Fantasy and the rights to distribute the RedZone channel to cable and satellite operators and the league will get a 10% equity stake in ESPN."
""With the closing, we will begin integrating NFL employees into ESPN in the months ahead," ESPN and the NFL said in a joint statement. "As we look to the future, NFL fans can look forward to expanded NFL programming, greater access to NFL Network, innovative Fantasy experiences and unparalleled coverage of America's most popular sport.""
"The NFL RedZone channel will be distributed by ESPN to cable and satellite operators. However, the NFL will continue to own, operate and produce the channel as well as retain the rights to distribute the channel digitally. ESPN would also get rights to the RedZone brand, meaning RedZone channels for college football and basketball or other sports could be coming in the future."
Government regulators approved ESPN's acquisition of NFL Network, NFL Fantasy and distribution rights for NFL RedZone, with the league receiving a 10% equity stake in ESPN. ESPN will integrate NFL employees in the months ahead, with viewer-facing changes expected in April. NFL Network, which has nearly 50 million subscribers, will be included in ESPN's direct-to-consumer product. ESPN will distribute RedZone to cable and satellite operators while the NFL retains ownership, production and digital distribution rights; ESPN gains the RedZone brand. NFL Fantasy Football will merge with ESPN Fantasy, and NFL Network will continue to air seven games per season.
Read at ESPN.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]