This week marked more significant milestones in ESPN’s storied history.
On Tuesday evening, Aug. 5, ESPN and the NFL announced that ESPN will acquire the NFL Network and RedZone while the NFL is taking a 10% equity stake in ESPN.
On Wednesday morning, ESPN announced that Thursday, Aug. 21 will be the launch date for its new Direct-to-Consumer streaming service and the fully enhanced ESPN App, bringing fans unique personalized features and full access to ESPN’s networks and services, right as the fall sports season begins.
Wednesday’s announcements also included a new ESPN deal with WWE to stream WrestleMania and other premium live events starting in 2026, plus ESPN and the NFL announced expanded NFL draft rights.
All of this together means fans will have ESPN’s storytelling delivered like never before.
Here are more insights into the exciting announcements.
ESPN’s DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER SERVICE AND ENHANCED APP LAUNCHING AUG. 21
ESPN will launch its new previously announced direct-to-consumer streaming service on Thursday, Aug. 21, bringing the full suite of ESPN networks and services — within an enhanced ESPN App with new, personalized features and functionality — directly to fans.
Timed for a marquee stretch of live sports programming across ESPN platforms, the launch of ESPN DTC coincides with the start of the college football and NFL seasons, US Open tennis, international soccer, women’s college soccer, volleyball, field hockey and more — with the start of the WNBA playoffs, PLL playoffs, and NBA and NHL seasons, as well as UFC and WWE events just around the corner.
Designed to give fans more choice and flexibility, ESPN DTC will offer two plans, including an unlimited plan for $29.99/month that gives fans access to all of ESPN’s linear networks — ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes — in addition to ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+ and ACCNX, covering 47,000 live events each year, on-demand replays, studio shows, original programming and more. Bundling opportunities for the ESPN unlimited plan with Disney+ and Hulu include a special offer at launch for $29.99/month for the first 12 months.
ESPN ACQUIRES NFL NETWORK, RIGHTS TO REDZONE FROM NFL FOR EQUITY STAKE
ESPN is acquiring the NFL Network and other National Football League media assets, including the linear rights to the league’s popular RedZone channel, in a deal that will see the NFL get a 10% equity stake in the all-sports network.
ESPN will also acquire the NFL’s fantasy product and merge it into its existing platform, making ESPN Fantasy Football the official game of the NFL. In a separate deal, the NFL also agreed to license to ESPN other NFL content and intellectual property that will appear on the NFL Network and other assets.
ESPN, NFL REACH NEW DEALS TO EXTEND NFL DRAFT RIGHTS, ADD NFL CONTENT AND FEATURES TO ESPN’S UPCOMING DTC SERVICE
ESPN and the NFL have reached new licensing agreements, extending ESPN’s NFL draft rights and, separately, adding NFL programming and content to ESPN’s upcoming Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) service, as well as to Disney+. The agreement also includes the opportunity for fans to bundle ESPN’s DTC service with NFL+ Premium.
The multi-year NFL draft licensing agreement builds upon ESPN’s rich history surrounding the event over the past 46 years, as ESPN was the first network to televise the selection process in 1980. Beginning with the 2026 NFL draft, Disney+ and Hulu will also stream ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes’ trio of draft presentations. All offerings will be available on ESPN’s DTC service. Additional alternate NFL draft presentations from ESPN will be available on the same streaming platforms, as will a new daily show dedicated to the NFL draft. The new show, which will air on ESPN2 most days, will launch the day following the Super Bowl and continue through that year’s draft.
ESPN JOINS WITH WWE TO STREAM WRESTLEMANIA BEGINNING IN 2026
WrestleMania will be part of ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer streaming service starting in 2026 thanks to an agreement between World Wrestling Entertainment and ESPN.
The deal, announced Wednesday, includes two-night events such as WrestleMania and SummerSlam, plus other WWE premium live events including Royal Rumble, Survivor Series and Money in the Bank. WWE will produce the events for ESPN platforms, which will serve as their exclusive U.S. domestic home.
