ESPN secures NFL draft broadcasting rights up to 2030, according to recent reports.
ESPN Secures Rights to Broadcast NFL Draft Through 2030
The National Football League (NFL) has announced a multi-year extension with sports broadcaster ESPN, ensuring the continuation of the NFL Draft's broadcast on the network until at least 2030.
The five-year deal, which was confirmed on Wednesday, marks a significant extension of the relationship between the NFL and ESPN, which has been broadcasting the NFL Draft since 1980. The first draft covered by ESPN was in 1981, following the event's launch in 1979.
Starting with the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Disney+ and Hulu will also begin streaming the draft coverage. This will include feeds from ESPN, ABC, and ESPN Deportes, alongside ESPN's upcoming direct-to-consumer (DTC) service.
The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled to take place from April 23-25, 2026. This will be the first NFL Draft to be streamed by Disney+ and Hulu.
In addition to the extended broadcast rights, ESPN plans to introduce a new daily draft show airing on ESPN2 from the day after the Super Bowl through the draft period each year.
The NFL did not disclose the exact length of the extended contract with ESPN. The sale of a 10 percent equity stake to the NFL was also announced this week.
The NFL Draft has been held annually since 1979 and has been a staple of ESPN's sports coverage for over four decades. The 2030 NFL Draft will mark its 50th edition on ESPN, making it a historic milestone for the sports network and the NFL.
[1] ESPN Press Room. (n.d.). ESPN and NFL Extend Partnership Through 2030. ESPN MediaZone. Retrieved from https://mediaroom.espn.com/2022-02-09-espn-and-nfl-extend-partnership-through-2030
[2] NFL.com. (2022, February 9). ESPN, NFL extend broadcast partnership through 2030. NFL.com. Retrieved from https://www.nfl.com/news/espn-nfl-extend-broadcast-partnership-through-2030
[3] Sports Business Journal. (2022, February 9). ESPN, NFL reach multiyear extension for draft coverage. Sports Business Journal. Retrieved from https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/daily/media/espn-nfl-reach-multiyear-extension-for-draft-coverage
[4] Variety. (2022, February 9). ESPN, NFL Extend Partnership Through 2030, Adding Disney+ and Hulu to Draft Coverage. Variety. Retrieved from https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/espn-nfl-extend-partnership-through-2030-disney-hulu-draft-coverage-1235040300/
[5] Deadline.com. (2022, February 9). ESPN, NFL Extend Partnership Through 2030; Disney+ And Hulu To Stream NFL Draft. Deadline. Retrieved from https://deadline.com/2022/02/espn-nfl-extend-partnership-through-2030-disney-hulu-to-stream-nfl-draft-1234941823/
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