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A Timeline of ESPN’s Long-Term Relationship and Past Rights Agreements with the National Football League
A Timeline of ESPN’s Long-Term Relationship and Past Rights Agreements with the National Football League
This afternoon, The Walt Disney Company announced a new, wide-ranging, long-term agreement with the National Football League. The landmark 10-year deal, beginning in 2023, grants extensive rights to ESPN and ABC, including Super Bowls and more postseason games, the extension of Monday Night Football rights, exclusive national ESPN+ content, and much more.
ESPN’s relationship with the NFL dates back to 1980 when the network televised the NFL Draft in its very first year of existence. The timeline below chronicles ESPN’s past NFL agreements and other key milestones in ESPN and ABC’s long history of presenting NFL games and events, which will now continue for many years to come.
1980
Home of the NFL Draft
ESPN televises the NFL Draft for the first time, an annual tradition that has continued now for more than 40 years and will continue under the newest Disney / ESPN – NFL rights agreement.
1985
NFL Studio Programming Solidified
ESPN debuts its weekly NFL Sunday pregame show, originally titled NFL GameDay. This would become Sunday NFL Countdown.1987
ESPN Secures its First NFL Agreement
The first cable rights NFL deal in history, ESPN secures a 13-game slate (eight regular season games) starting that same year.
Chicago Bears at Miami Dolphins
The August 16th preseason game is ESPN’s first NFL telecast.1987
NFL PrimeTime Begins Legendary Run
As part of new rights deal, NFL PrimeTime debuts. The beloved highlights show still holds the record as cable television’s highest-rated studio show. Today, the program is a key part of NFL offerings on ESPN+.
1988
Pro Bowl airs for first time on ESPN following 1987 season
ESPN and ABC have televised the Pro Bowl telecast a combined 26 times in the past 33 years. The annual game will continue within The Walt Disney Company portfolio with the new rights deal.
1990
ESPN Reaches Second Deal with NFL
ESPN’s second rights agreement continues the network’s 13-game slate, including preseason, and studio programming. Most regular season games aired on Sunday nights.1990
ESPN Recognized Among Industry’s Best
ESPN wins its first Sports Emmy for NFL game coverage.1994
Sunday Night Football
ESPN’s third rights agreement with the NFL solidifies Sunday Night Football as the centerpiece of ESPN’s portfolio with another nine-game regular season package. The agreement was announced in December of 1993.
1998
Sunday Night Football Enhanced
As the NFL’s exclusive cable provider, ESPN kicks off its new seven-year agreement with an 18-game full season Sunday Night Football slate.ESPN debuts “First and 10” line on an NFL telecast
ESPN is the first network to debut the computer-generated yellow line at the point the offense must reach for a first down. Used during a Bengals – Ravens NFL telecast, the technology is widely praised and is now a staple on all NFL and college football telecasts.2002
First NFL Kickoff Game
ESPN televises the first NFL kickoff game between the 49ers and New York Giants. The primetime season-opening game aired on ABC the next three years and remains one of the NFL’s signature games today.2005
ESPN televises the NFL’s first regular season game in Mexico City
ESPN and ESPN Deportes air first NFL regular-season game outside the United States between Cardinals and 49ers in Mexico City.
2006
Super Bowl XL on ABC
The 2005 season concludes with Super Bowl XL in Detroit, ABC’s seventh and most recent Super Bowl telecast. With the merger of ABC and ESPN production teams, ESPN contributes to the Super Bowl telecast for the first time.
Monday Night Football Debuts on ESPN
After 36 years on ABC, Monday Night Football debuts on ESPN, continuing the legacy of sports television’s longest-running franchise, which began in 1970.
2014
Monday Night Football Continues
Under a new NFL rights agreement (announced in 2011), ESPN kicks off the first of eight seasons of Monday Night Football through 2021.2015
ESPN airs first ever NFL Playoff Game
ESPN’s first NFL Playoff game pits the Cardinals against the Panthers in the NFC Wild Card round in January 2015.
2016
ESPN Deportes airs its first Super Bowl
ESPN Deportes televises the Spanish-language telecast of Super Bowl 50, the first of three Super Bowls to air on the network to date.
2020
ESPN and NFL collaborate on the first virtual NFL Draft
ESPN and the NFL collaborate on the first-ever virtual NFL Draft just a month into the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally planned for Las Vegas, the production originates from ESPN’s Bristol studios and is simulcast on NFL Network using commentators from both networks. ABC also offers its own distinct production of the event.
