NBA Signs New 11-Year Media Agreements With The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal And Amazon Prime Video

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The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced the renewal of its partnership with The Walt Disney Company and new agreements with NBCUniversal (NBCU) and Amazon under which ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock and Prime Video will telecast NBA games beginning with the 2025-26 season and running through the 2035-36 season.

The NBA App will be a universal access point – seamlessly directing fans to every national game on Disney, NBCU and Amazon platforms.

The new media deals will expand the reach of NBA telecasts, with all national games available on broadly distributed streaming services – Prime Video, Peacock and ESPN’s forthcoming direct-to-consumer service – and with dramatically increased exposure on broadcast television.  Approximately 75 regular-season games will be on broadcast TV each season, up from the minimum of 15 games under the current agreement.

“Our new global media agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon will maximize the reach and accessibility of NBA games for fans in the United States and around the world,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.  “These partners will distribute our content across a wide range of platforms and help transform the fan experience over the next decade.”

“We look forward to building upon our incredible legacy of innovation and growth with our longstanding partners at the NBA,” said ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro.  “The NBA is a vibrant, ascendant league and through this premium collection of rights, including every NBA Finals on our platforms, we will continue to evolve together while successfully navigating the global digital transition and delivering the highest quality coverage for fans.”

“We are proud to once again partner with the NBA and WNBA, two iconic brands and the home of the best basketball in the world,” said Mike Cavanagh, President of Comcast Corporation.  “We look forward to presenting our best-in-class coverage of both leagues with our innovative programming and distribution plan across NBC and Peacock to entertain fans and help grow the game.”

“We are honored that the NBA has entrusted Prime Video to deliver its one-of-a-kind action and excitement to viewers around the world,” said Mike Hopkins, Head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.  “We look forward to continuing to innovate and evolve live sports coverage for our customers, and are fully committed to building an incredible video experience for millions of NBA fans starting in 2025.”

Disney, NBCU and Amazon also secured the right to distribute an unprecedented number of WNBA live game telecasts, with a significant increase in the reach of WNBA games across broadcast, cable and streaming.  Full details regarding the WNBA’s media agreements will be issued in a separate press release.

The Walt Disney Company

Disney (ABC/ESPN) will distribute a total of 80 NBA regular-season games per season, including more than 20 games on ABC (generally on Saturday nights with NBA Saturday Primetime and on Sunday afternoons with NBA Sunday Showcase) and up to 60 games on ESPN (generally on Wednesday nights and, on occasion, Friday nights).  ABC/ESPN will continue to telecast all five NBA games on Christmas Day and provide exclusive national coverage of the final day of the regular season.

During the playoffs, ABC/ESPN will telecast approximately 18 games in the first two rounds each year and one of the two Conference Finals series in 10 of the 11 years of the agreement.  ABC will remain the exclusive home of the NBA Finals, which it has broadcast since 2003.

All NBA games and events on ABC/ESPN will be available on ESPN’s forthcoming direct-to-consumer service.  ABC/ESPN will continue to telecast the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, NBA Draft, NBA Draft Lottery and half of all NBA Summer League games.  ABC/ESPN platforms will also continue to distribute a package of WNBA and NBA G League regular-season and postseason games.

Disney will distribute NBA games on ESPN-branded assets in several international markets, including Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Oceania and the Netherlands, and via Disney+ in select markets in Asia and Europe.

By the end of this renewal, the NBA’s partnership with ABC/ESPN will reach 34 years.

NBCUniversal

NBCU (NBC/Peacock) will distribute up to 100 NBA regular-season games per season – with more than half of the games airing on NBC (on Sunday and Tuesday nights).  NBCU will telecast the league’s opening night doubleheader on NBC each year and at least two games on MLK Day on NBC and/or Peacock each season.

Peacock will stream a doubleheader each Monday night of the season.  Every Tuesday night, NBC will telecast two games across certain NBC affiliate broadcast stations in different regions of the country.  The first game will start at 8 p.m. ET and be available on NBC across affiliate stations in the Eastern and Central time zones.  The second game will start at 8 p.m. PT and be available on NBC affiliate stations across the Pacific and Mountain time zones.  All Tuesday games will be available on Peacock nationally and certain stations may choose to televise both games.

NBC will become the home of NBA All-Star, including Rising Stars, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, featuring AT&T Slam Dunk, Starry 3-Point Contest and Kia Skills Challenge, and the All-Star Game.  In the playoffs, NBC and/or Peacock will telecast approximately 28 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs, with at least half of those games airing on NBC.  NBC will also telecast one of the two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years on a rotating basis with Amazon, beginning with the 2025-26 season.

As part of the partnership, NBCU will distribute NBA games in several European markets through Sky Sports as well as in the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa.  Additionally, NBCU will distribute WNBA games and be the home of all USA Basketball Senior Men’s and Women’s National Team games.

Xfinity will become the Official TV Service of the NBA, WNBA and USA Basketball.  The partnership includes collaboration on marketing and storytelling opportunities, virtual signage during game telecasts and activations at marquee NBA, WNBA and USA Basketball events.

Amazon

Amazon will distribute 66 NBA regular-season games on Prime Video each season, including Thursday night doubleheaders beginning in January, Friday evening doubleheaders, select Saturday afternoon games, at least one game on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), and the Quarterfinals and Semifinals in the Knockout Round of the Emirates NBA Cup.  In addition, Prime Video will stream the Championship Game of the Emirates NBA Cup.

Prime Video will also distribute all six SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament games.  In the playoffs, Prime Video will stream approximately one-third of the first and second rounds each year.  Additionally, Prime Video will stream one of the two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years on a rotating basis with NBCU, beginning with the 2026-27 NBA season.

Amazon will distribute NBA games globally as part of Prime Video, with an expanded package of games in select territories, including Mexico, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and Ireland.  This expanded package includes a minimum of 20 additional primetime regular season games each year, a Conference Finals series each year, and the NBA Finals in six of the 11 years.  Prime Video will also become the NBA’s strategic partner and third-party global destination of NBA League Pass – the league’s live NBA game subscription service, with expanded distribution rights for NBA League Pass in the U.S. and internationally.   Additionally, as part of the agreement, Prime Video will stream half of all NBA Summer League games as well as a package of WNBA and NBA G League regular-season and postseason games.

ESPN, FOX And Warner Bros. Discovery To Launch Joint Sports Streaming Platform

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Walt Disney’s ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery plan to launch a joint sports streaming service this fall, giving consumers a new way to access marquee live sports for the first time, the companies said Tuesday.

The platform, which will be owned by a newly formed company with its own leadership team, does not yet have a name or a price. Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery will each own a one-third stake.

Consumers would be able to subscribe directly via a new app. Subscribers would also have the ability to bundle the product with the companies’ streaming platforms Disney+, Hulu and Max.

The product will be a skinnier bundle of linear networks than a standard cable offering, specifically tailored for sports fans. It will consist of all the broadcast and cable networks owned by Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery that carry sports, along with ESPN+.

From Disney, that includes ESPN and its sister networks, such as ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, as well as the ABC broadcast network. Warner Bros. Discovery’s networks that showcase sports are TNT, TBS and TruTV. Fox will include the Fox broadcast station along with FS1, FS2 and BTN.

“The launch of this new streaming sports service is a significant moment for Disney and ESPN, a major win for sports fans, and an important step forward for the media business,” Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger said in a statement. “This means the full suite of ESPN channels will be available to consumers alongside the sports programming of other industry leaders as part of a differentiated sports-centric service.”

The launch of the product will not stop ESPN from offering a full direct-to-consumer streaming product, which Disney is still researching, according to a person familiar with the matter. ESPN has previously said it plans on releasing that product this year or next year.

The competitors expect to form the joint service at a time when the value of sports media rights is spiking, but viewers have moved away from watching on traditional cable.

Disney, in particular, has suffered from a shift away from its ESPN network, and sought new ways to revive the business, including searching for strategic partners such as the National Football League and the National Basketball League.

Amazon Reportedly In Talks To Buy Minority Stake In ESPN From Disney

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Recently we learned that Disney was open to selling part of ESPN to a potential partner if the deal was right. This comes from a June interview with CNBC, where Disney CEO Bob Iger said he was open to partnering with other companies to make a new ESPN streaming service work including selling part of ESPN.

This comes as ESPN is working on launching a direct-to-consumer streaming service. This new service would let subscribers watch live ESPN without the need for cable TV.

Since that interview, reports have been flying about who Disney is talking to. Major sports leagues, including the NFL, and rivals like Comcast have all been suggested as potential ESPN Partners. Now, The Information is reporting that Amazon and Disney are in early talks to partner on ESPN’s streaming partnership.

According to the report, Amazon is in talks to possibly offer an ESPN streaming service, likely through its Amazon Channels service. This deal could also see Amazon take a minority stake in ESPN. Amazon has a lot to offer Disney with its ability to stream live events, and a customer base that Disney could use to promote ESPN’s new streaming service.

Amazon is not the only company Disney is reportedly talking to. A few weeks ago, the New York Post reported that Disney has been in talks with media companies such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Verizon, and T-Mobile, to name a few. The goal is reportedly to take advantage of their technology to help expand the reach of ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer streaming service.

Last week The Information reported that Verizon and Disney have started talks about a possible partnership with Verizon and ESPN. Verizon could be a great partner for its technology and a possible bundle deal similar to the Disney+ bundle Verizon recently offered to its wireless subscribers.

Disney owns 80% of ESPN, and the rest is owned by Hearst. Disney would likely want to keep as much ownership as possible, but if the right partner comes along it may be open to selling part of the storied sports network.

Disney To Close ESPN Player Across Europe, Middle East & Africa

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Disney has announced that it will be closing down the ESPN Player streaming service, which operates across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia, on August 18th 2023.  ESPN Player offers a variety of sports, including basketball, baseball, American football, and many other sports.  There are thousands of live events & on-demand content, including ESPN Films plus four 24/7 ESPN TV channels.

Here’s the official statement:

ESPN Player to close on August 18th, 2023

We want to inform you that ESPN Player will be closing on August 18th, 2023. We appreciate your support over the years.

As of August 18th, you will no longer be able to stream live sports, replays, or on-demand content on ESPN Player. You will also be unable to access any of your ESPN Player account information.

ESPN Player has been running for years and was operated by Endeavour Streaming. However, the platform has been neglected in recent years, with the app only available on a very limited number of devices like Android and Apple tablets and smartphones.  So you couldn’t watch ESPN Player on your big screen through a Smart TV app or console.  I myself wanted to get ESPN Player earlier this year to watch the XFL, but since I couldn’t watch it on my TV, I didn’t bother in the end.  Also, the official social media accounts have been a little erratic in how often they post, which could have indicated a change was potentially coming.

Disney has announced where some of the content from the ESPN Player will be going, but it doesn’t cover every country, such as the UK.    There are many possible outcomes for what’s next for ESPN within the EMEA region.  Disney could have just decided it’s more cost-effective to just licence out its sports to other platforms in each country, or if it is planning on launching a new ESPN+ app globally, such as adding ESPN+ into Disney+ as a paid add-on.

There are dozens of ESPN documentaries available on Disney+ already, so it’s possible we could end up seeing ESPN documentaries heading here if there is no alternative plan for the brand within the region.  Unfortunately, we will just have to wait and see what happens next.

Disney has been making changes to ESPN this year to try to become more profitable, including making ESPN a stand-alone division, outside of the theme parks and entertainment divisions and, most recently, laying off staff across the sports division.

Here is where some of the sports content will be heading to:

Major League Baseball (MLB)

Stream MLB games live or on demand with an MLB.TV subscription. Subscribe today for the rest of the 2023 season for $94.99 or $24.99/month.

National Hockey League (NHL)

NHL.TV is available in selected territories. Information about the 2023-24 package will be made available prior to the start of the season.  Visit NHL.TV in mid-September for further details.

NCAA Football: Territories and Broadcasters

Israel, One Sport

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Lichtenstein: DAZN, Pro Sieben

Spain and Andorra: Telefonica

Netherlands: ESPN

Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, Kosovo, Croatia, Macedonia: Sportklub

Czech Republic: AMC

Hungary: Network 4

Africa: ESPN

France: beIN

Italy: Helbiz

NCAA Basketball: Territories and Broadcasters

Israel: One Sport

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Lichtenstein: DAZN

Spain and Andorra: Telefonica

Netherlands: ESPN

Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, Kosovo, Croatia, Macedonia: Sportklub

Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey: CIS, Saran

Greece, Cyprus: Saran

Africa: ESPN

France: beIN

Baltics: All Media

Italy: Helbiz

Middle East: MBC

Hungary: Network 4

Other NCAA Championships: Territories and Broadcasters

Netherlands: ESPN

Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, Kosovo, Croatia, Macedonia: Sportklub

Africa: ESPN

Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia: Network 4

Israel: One Sport

Here are some useful details on the closure of ESPN Player:

How can a customer get a refund?

If you are an active subscriber, with time remaining on your subscription after August 18th you will be refunded the amount for that remaining time. No action is required by you. Refunds will be paid automatically to the payment card with which your initial purchase was made after August 18th.

Will it be a full refund?

You will be refunded based on the remaining length of your subscription after August 18th 2023.

If I purchased through Apple/Google/third party billing, how will I receive a refund?

Users will be refunded by the relevant app store or third-party provider. Refunds will be paid automatically to the payment card with which your initial purchase was made after August 18th.

Will the content be available until you close?

Yes, if you are an active subscriber, you will be able to stream live sports, replays, or on-demand content on ESPN Player. As of August 18th, you will no longer be able to stream live sports, replays, or on-demand content on ESPN Player. You will also be unable to access any of your ESPN Player account information.

How do I cancel now?

To perform all of the below actions, please head to My Account:

Update my payment method

Update my password

Review my payment history

Cancel my account

The Walt Disney Company To Close 11 Channels In Taiwan, Could Africa Follow Perhaps?

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In 2021, The Walt Disney Company unveiled plans to close 100 international channels so there was a lot of fear for the Disney Channels in Africa following the closure of Disney XD and FOX but MultiChoice managed to secure rights for these brands through 2024.

Fast forward to 2023, The Walt Disney Company had confirmed the closure of more channels with consumers in Taiwan set to lose out on a number of brands including National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Baby TV, Star Entertainment and Star World.

Disney+ launched in 2019 and has since then become a top priority for the blue brand. Not much investment is going onto Disney Channel or National Geographic as the brands being used to promote the bulk of content seen on the streaming service.

Following the demise of these channels in Taiwan, there's now a lot of fear for these channels in Africa and I know MultiChoice had managed to carry Disney Channel, Disney Junior, National Geographic and National Geographic Wild through 2024.

But for all we know these channels could go dark by the 31st December 2023 at 23:59 which rounds up to 2024 as seen in Taiwan. It had been speculated that most of The Walt Disney Company"s linear offering won't leave past 2025 in European territories.

Disney XD was terminated in Africa alongside the United Kingdom's Disney Channels in 2020 followed by FOX which saw the brand exit Germany, Asia and Africa by 2021. Now there's rumours swirling that the brand would be closing channels across Africa by early 2024.

NBA Finals To Broadcast Live On ESPN Across Africa

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ESPN Africa today announced that it will be broadcasting all of the 2023 NBA Final games, live across the African continent. Showcasing the highest level of professional basketball in the world, this year’s finals will see the Denver Nuggets go up against the Miami Heat, with the action being broadcast live on ESPN from Friday 2 June 2023 at 02:00 (CAT).  

The Miami Heat closed out a nail-biting Eastern Conference finals series against the Boston Celtics with a Game 7 win on Monday night and will face the Denver Nuggets in their quest to hold up the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy for the fourth time in the league’s history, with three previous wins under their belt. The eighth-seeded Heat are just the second No. 8 seed team in NBA history to appear in the Finals.

The Denver Nuggets, who are appearing in the NBA Finals for the very first time, completed a sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in their lead up to this point. Making good on their billing at the top seed in the Western Conference, featuring superstars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, Denver have yet to lose a game at home this postseason.

The NBA Finals follows a "best of 7" format, where the first team to win four games out of the seven played is crowned as the champion. Should a winner not have been reached in the first four games, play will extend for an additional one or three games.

While the live broadcast of the NBA Final games will enable basketball enthusiasts to enjoy the games live at 02:00 or 02:30 (CAT), depending on the game, an additional broadcast will take place at 8:00 AM, with additional repeats at 11:00, 15:00 and 20:00 to provide viewers in regular viewing times more options to enjoy the sport. Now with extended reach through recently being made available on the DStv Compact packages, ESPN Africa will ensure that even more basketball enthusiasts across Africa have access to comprehensive coverage, including pre-game analysis, in-depth interviews, and captivating behind-the-scenes content, allowing fans to immerse themselves in the excitement and exhilaration of the games.

“ESPN Africa's commitment to delivering high-quality sports content extends to the NBA Finals games, providing viewers across the continent with an unrivalled viewing experience and the opportunity to witness basketball greatness unfold in real-time,” said Kyle De Klerk, Director: Sports of Africa at the Walt Disney Company Africa. “ESPN Africa continues to showcase its dedication to bringing the best sporting events to audiences across Africa, and we are looking forward to an exhilarating NBA Finals 2023” he added.

Basketball fans across Africa can stay updated regarding the NBA Conference Final games and other sports news by following @ESPNAfrica on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visiting https://www.espn.com/. 

# # #

NOTES TO EDITORS

How to tune in to ESPN:

ESPN: DStv 218, Starsat 248 
ESPN2: DStv 219, Starsat 249

NBA 2023 Finals schedule:

Game
Date
Live Broadcast
Repeat Broadcast

NBA Finals Game 1
02-06-2023
02:30:00
02-06-2023 at 8:00, 11:00, 15:00 and 20:00

NBA Finals Game 2
05-06-2023
02:00:00
05-06-2023 at 8:00
11:00, 15:00 and 20:00

NBA Finals Game 3
08-06-2023
02:30:00
08-06-2023 at 8:00
11:00, 15:00 and 20:00

NBA Finals Game 4
10-06-2023
02:30:00
10-06-2023 at 8:00
11:00, 15:00 and 20:00

NBA Finals Game 5 *if necessary
13-06-2023
02:30:00
13-06-2023 at 8:00
11:00, 15:00 and 20:00

NBA Finals Game 6 *if necessary
16-06-2023
02:30:00
16-06-2023 at 8:00
11:00, 15:00 and 20:00

NBA Finals Game 7 (if necessary)
19-06-2023
02:00:00
19-06-2023 at 8:00
11:00, 15:00 and 20:00

All times are stated in CAT / SAST.
Schedule subject to change

What You Need To Know About The NFL Super Bowl 2023?

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It’s finally here. The 2023 American National Football League’s Super Bowl, the 57th annual showdown between the best of the best, will broadcast live, exclusively across Africa on ESPN (Dstv 218, Starsat 248) in the early hours of the morning on Monday 13 February 2023. One of the most anticipated sporting events on the U.S. calendar, the annual championship game, which will see the league’s top franchises competing to hold the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy, will air live at 1:30 AM (CAT) with repeats at 8:00, 17:00 and 22:00 on ESPN2 and at 14:00 on ESPN.

Here are a few things you need to know:

Super Bowl LVII will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona between Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. The Eagles, who’ll be competing in their fifth Super Bowl, will be sporting their home green jerseys, while the Chiefs, who’ll be playing in their fifth Super Bowl, will be in white.

In what some may call an awkward moment, Andy Reid who coaches the Chiefs, was the Eagles head coach from 1999-2012. He will essentially be doing his best to defeat a team he spent over a decade building.

Perhaps even more interesting is the situation mom Donna Kelce finds herself in as the first mother to have two sons play against each other at the Super Bowl. Her younger son Travis plays Chiefs tight end while her son Jason plays centre for the Eagles. She has been spotted wearing a “half-and-half” top ahead of Super Bowl LVII, incorporating the colours of her both of the teams.

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Beyond sport, the Super Bowl is a truly global cultural event, as well-known as for the cutting-edge commercial spots and half time show as it is for the actual game. This year, the half time show will be performed by popular artist Rihanna. The halftime show typically lasts around 15 minutes and is expected to contain an impressive medley of anthems from the nine-time Grammy award-winning artist.

The national anthem will be sung by Chris Stapleton -  a country music singer that has 15 Country Music Association and 10-Academy of Country Music Awards in addition to being an Eight-time Grammy. Stapelton follows artists such as Mickey Guyton, Eric Church, Demi Lovato, Gladys Knight and others who have had this honour in the past.

How to tune in to ESPN:

ESPN: DStv 218, Starsat 248 
ESPN2: DStv 219, Starsat 249

All times are stated in CAT / SAST.
Schedule subject to change

KOODOO.co.za Announced As Official Sponsor Of The ESPN Africa Boxing Series

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The Walt Disney Company Africa and KOODOO.co.za today announced that they have entered into a multi-event sponsorship for the ESPN Africa Boxing series. The agreement officially kicks off with the ESPN Africa Boxing 21 event that will take place in Johannesburg on 22 September 2022.

Showcasing a diverse range of the continent’s best boxing talent and sanctioned by Boxing South Africa (BSA), ESPN Africa Boxing events take place on a monthly basis on Thursday evenings. With five main fights per event, and two undercard bouts on each bill, ESPN Africa Boxing features male and female boxing talent from across Africa. The September event is the 21st iteration of the series.

The fights are broadcast live on ESPN Africa (DStv 218, Starsat 248) catering to the immense popularity of the sport on the continent, as well as on several broadcast partners across the globe. ESPN delivers a high-quality boxing viewing experience with premium broadcast production, accompanied by all of the fanfare behind the scenes.

A division of Gamefinity, KOODOO.co.za is an e-commerce channel with the core focus of bringing the world’s leading gaming entertainment content and products to customers. The company represents brands in the gaming entertainment space such as PlayStation, Warner Bros Gaming, Bethesda, Konami, Techland, Milestone, Capcom, SEGA, andNacon.

“Exciting times for us at KOODOO.co.za partnering with The Walt Disney Company Africa and ESPN Africa Boxing Series to bring another dimension of our business to our customers.” comments Nalisha Pillay, General Manager for KOODOO.co.za

“We are delighted to welcome KOODOO.co.za as an official sponsor of the ESPN Africa Boxing series,” said Kyle De Klerk, Director: Sports Commercial and Business, The Walt Disney Company Africa. “As boxing is one of the most celebrated and followed sports, we are excited to be collaborating with this premiere technology company to further elevate our ESPN Africa Boxing series’ presence in reaching more viewers and in-person audiences across the country.

As one of the world’s leading sports broadcasters, ESPN brings an unparalleled portfolio of sporting content and documentaries to its viewers across the world. In Africa, the broadcaster extends this offering by showcasing European football and various other international franchises, such as the English Football League (EFL), Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), Dutch Eredivisie and Major League Soccer (MLS), as well as various African sports tournaments such as the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and the ESPN Africa Boxing series.

 

ESPN Africa And PLAY.CO.ZA Sign Multi-Event Sponsorship

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The Walt Disney Company Africa and Play.co.za today announced that they have entered into a multi-event sponsorship for the popular ESPN Africa Boxing series. The agreement officially kicks off with the ESPN Africa Boxing 21 event that will take place in Johannesburg on 22 September 2022.

Showcasing a diverse range of the continent’s best boxing talent and sanctioned by Boxing South Africa (BSA), ESPN Africa Boxing events take place on a monthly basis on Thursday evenings. With five main fights per event, and two undercard bouts on each bill, ESPN Africa Boxing features male and female boxing talent from across Africa. The September event is the 21st iteration of the series.

The fights are broadcast live on ESPN Africa (DStv 218, Starsat 248) catering to the immense popularity of the sport on the continent, as well as on several broadcast partners across the globe. ESPN delivers a high-quality boxing viewing experience with premium broadcast production, accompanied by all of the fanfare behind the scenes.

Play.co.za enters the market this September as an innovative new gaming and betting platform, offering fans eSports, Live Dealer Games, Lucky Numbers, and Betgames. Additional offerings include promotional bonuses for partaking in major tournaments and loyalty incentives for playful fans.

“As a playful and community-driven brand looking to disrupt the local gaming market, our goal is to form strategic partnerships with right-fit organisations that not only resonate with our audience, but that share our values as a premium online entertainment platform. We look forward to collaborating with a prestigious tournament such as ESPN Africa Boxing in showcasing our continent’s talent and building relationships with avid boxing fans,” says JP van der Spuy, Founder and CEO, Play.co.za.

“ESPN is known for bringing the most exciting sporting moments to sports fans across the continent and ESPN Africa Boxing is just one prime example,” said Kyle De Klerk, Director: Sports Commercial and Business, The Walt Disney Company Africa. “We are thrilled to be collaborating with Play.co.za on this popular and exciting franchise.”

As one of the world’s leading sports broadcasters, ESPN brings an unparalleled portfolio of sporting content and documentaries to its viewers across the world. In Africa, the broadcaster extends this offering by showcasing European football and various other international franchises, such as the English Football League (EFL), Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), Dutch Eredivisie and Major League Soccer (MLS), as well as various African sports tournaments such as the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and the ESPN Africa Boxing series.

 

National Football League (NFL) 2022 Season Gets Underway On ESPN Africa

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Excitement is mounting as the 103rd season of National Football League (NFL) season is about to get underway in the United States. The new season premieres on ESPN2 (DStv 219, Starsat 249) across Africa when play begins on 9 September 2022 with 32 teams vying for Super Bowl glory and a shot at lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Current defending Champions the Los Angeles Rams will host Buffalo Bills in the kick-off game in the early hours of the morning on Friday 9 September. This match will air live on ESPN2 at 2:20 AM (CAT) with repeat broadcasts at  08:00 on ESPN2, 13:30 on ESPN and 18:00 on ESPN2.

ESPN Africa will bring American Football fans a minimum of five matches every week during the regular season, with one match airing live in the early hours of Friday (“Thursday Night Football”), three matches every Sunday evening and one match in the early hours of Tuesday morning (“Monday Night Football”). Additionally, ESPN2 will now feature a weekday American Football slot with NFL games from Mondays to Fridays at 14:00.

The regular season will continue for of 18 weeks. Thereafter, the playoffs, that are scheduled to start on 14 January 2023, will build up to the much-anticipated Super Bowl LVII event at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on 13 February 2023.

The Buffalo Bills are one of the favourites predicted to go all the way this year, coming off last season's heart-breaking overtime defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional round. The ascension of quarterback Josh Allen combined with the offseason signing of Von Miller may just be the edge that this team needs to reclaim victory.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, quarterbacked by Tom Brady at 45 years of age, are also among the teams to keep an eye on this season, while Patrick Mahomes and his Kansas City Chiefs are expected to be no easy challenge.

There will be new breakout stars to watch throughout the course of the season. April’s 2022 NFL draft saw the Jacksonsville Jaguars select defensive end Travon Walker in the first pick. Aiden Hutchinson was selected by Detroit Lions in the second pick. 

The Most Valuable Player (MVP) debate will start early with a trio of stars expected to contend for the coveted prize. Quarterbacks Josh Allen, Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes are tipped as early frontrunners while Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, who has held this award for past two seasons, will not want to see it go.

After two seasons of using the placeholder name Washington Football Team, the franchise have officially been renamed and will enter the field as the Washington Commanders.

ESPN Africa is the home of American sports and will bring all of the thrills, spills and hard hitting football action from North America to fans across Africa. An incredible season of NFL football awaits.

ENDS

How to tune in:
ESPN: DStv 218, Starsat 248
ESPN2: DStv 219, Starsat 249

For updates from the world of American and other sports, fans can connect to @ESPNAfrica on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit https://www.espn.com/.

# # #

Notes to editors:

NFL Fixtures - Round 1 (live on ESPN2)
09-09-21 2:20    Buffalo Bills @ Los Angeles Rams            
11-09-21 19:00  Philadelphia Eagles @ Detroit Lions           
11-09-21 22:25  Kansas City Chiefs @ Arizona Cardinals             
12-09-21 2:20    Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Dallas Cowboys      
13-09-21 2:15    Denver Broncos @ Seattle Seahawks

ESPN Africa Boxing 18 Set To Entertain

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Boxing fans across Africa can look forward to some of the best combat sport action when ESPN Africa Boxing 18 takes place in Johannesburg and broadcasts live on ESPN on Thursday 30 June 2022, from 19:00 (CAT). Sanctioned by Boxing South Africa (BSA) and the International Boxing Federation (IBF), this event will be headlined by a 12-round match for the IBF International Junior Middleweight title between DR Congo's Emmany Kalombo (15-1-0) and Kenyan Rayton Okwiri (7-0-1).

Known as 'The General', Kalombo was last in action in April, defeating Malawian Chikondi Makawa via third-round technical knockout in Soweto, while the unbeaten Okwiri is making a much-anticipated return to the ring. In his most recent fight, in October 2021, Okwiri knocked out John Serunjogu of Uganda in a middleweight non-title fight in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

 

 

The former African Boxing Union middleweight title holder is determined to put a major belt around his waist once again. “I have done it in the past and it’ll not be any different this time round. This is a big fight for me and the title must come back home as I’m serious to win it,” Okwiri explained.

Kalombo, however, feels that things will go differently: “I have known Okwiri as an amateur boxer for a long time and I’m gonna chop him down and stop him from taking the title."

The co-main event is a 10-round Welterweight clash between South Africa's Thulani Mbenge (18-1-0) and Idd Pialari of Tanzania (30-7-1). Mbenge was last in action a year ago, claiming an impressive third-round knockout win over Jabulani Makhense. Pialari broke a losing streak by defeating Chimwemwe Chiotcha via unanimous decision in February this year.

 

 

The main card also features an eight-round Super Flyweight clash between Sikho Nqothole (14-2-0) and Selemani Bangaiza (12-7-0); Jabulani Makhense (12-1-0) v Paul Kamanga (23-2-0) over eight rounds in the Welterweight division; and a Super Lightweight battle over eight rounds between Gift Bholo (9-11-0) and Hannock Phiri (14-0-1).

The fight card for this event, is as follows:

MAIN EVENT

Main event: IBF International Junior Middleweight Title
12 rounds
Emmany Kalombo (DR Congo, 15-1-0)
v
Rayton Okwiri (Kenya, 7-0-1)

Co-main event: Welterweight
10 rounds
Thulani Mbenge (SA, 18-1-0)
v
Idd Pialari (Tanzania, 30-7-1)

Super Flyweight
8 rounds
Sikho Nqothole (SA, 14-2-0)
v
Selemani Bangaiza (Tanzania, 12-7-0)

Welterweight
8 rounds
Jabulani Makhense (SA, 12-1-0)
v
Paul Kamanga (DR Congo, 23-2-0)

Super Lightweight
8 rounds
Gift Bholo (SA, 9-11-0)
v
Hannock Phiri (Malawi, 14-0-1)

UNDER CARD

Junior Middleweight
4 rounds
Sinethemba Blom (debut)
v
Mikaeel van Doorsen (1-1-0)

Junior Lightweight
6 rounds
Cayden Truter (4-0-0)
v
Khanyisani Mbokazi (2-3-1)

 

Featuring a diverse range of the continent’s boxing talent, the ESPN Africa Boxing events that take place on the last (or second last) Thursday of every month, are televised to an audience of up to 60 million homes across Africa and Latin America. The action starts at 19:00 (CAT) on ESPN (DStv 218, Starsat 248), SABC Sport and selected international broadcasters including ESPN across Latin America, as well as a highlights package in TKO (SABC 2, Fridays at 21:30).

How to tune in:

ESPN: DStv 218, Starsat 248 
SABC Sport
 
All times are stated in CAT / SAST.
Schedule subject to change

For updates regarding ESPN Africa Boxing and other sports, fans can connect to @ESPNAfrica on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit https://www.espn.com/. 

NFL Streaming Service Expected To Launch In July

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The National Football League is expected to launch its own mobile-focused streaming service, NFL+, as early as July, according to a report from the NFL owner meeting in Atlanta by Sports Business Journal (SBJ). The platform will reportedly cost around $5 per month and will feature live in-market games on mobile phones and tablets as well as other possible content, including radio, podcasts and a variety of other team-created content. This is directed at fans who desire a mobile streaming option as a complement to the big screen.

 

NFL+ aims to function independently as a part of NFL Media, which sources say will give the NFL new data on its users. However, on the other hand, there are other reports that the streaming product could be folded into a larger streaming package, wrote SBJ’s Ben Fischer.

Additionally, The Athletic reported in April that the NFL might be looking for a partner that could distribute NFL Media or NFL Films content. While it is unlikely that Netflix will ever cover live sports, we do think that it would be in its best interest, especially since the company is planning to launch a livestreaming option for the service.

 

Despite the saturated streaming landscape, nothing excites viewers quite like the NFL, and it sounds like the league is looking to further capitalize on America’s obsession.

NFL+ is the latest announcement of a profitable year for sports entertainment, and the new streaming product could imply the convergence of sports media at large. Major League Baseball is also hoping to launch its own streaming service in 2023, and FIFA has become a streaming rival as of last month with the launch of FIFA+.

Xtreme Football League Makes A Comeback On ESPN In 2023

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The XFL announced a new, global multi-year agreement with The Walt Disney Company (“TWDC”) and ESPN, which includes exclusive broadcast rights for all gameday content, tentpole events and more, for its upcoming 2023 season through 2027. Each season, all 43 games (40 regular season games, two playoffs, one championship) will be featured on a combination of ABC, ESPN networks and FX. Additionally, the agreement includes exclusive content rights across TWDC and ESPN’s digital, social and direct-to-consumer outlets such as ESPN+. The XFL is excited to officially announce its 2023 season will kick off on Saturday, February 18, 2023.

The announcement was revealed at the Disney Upfront, where XFL owners Dany Garcia and Dwayne Johnson were in attendance and presented the news.

“Without question, we have long admired Disney’s distinct ability to engage an expansive consumer fanbase across verticals, while also maintaining a deeply authentic, nuanced and heartfelt approach to storytelling much like our own,” said Dany Garcia, Chairwoman of the XFL. “To find a partner that honors our foundation and to be able to root our vision of unwavering passion, accessibility and the future of football with Disney as our home, is a dream come true. We are extraordinarily excited to explore the endless possibilities of this partnership – today is surely just the beginning.”

 

“The XFL will tap into sports fans’ deep love of football by emphasizing competitive action while dedicating itself to innovation and entertainment,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content. “You can see a great path to success when you combine the reach and influence of ESPN and Disney with the collective vision of XFL leadership led by Dany, Dwayne and Gerry.”

Dwayne Johnson added, “This is a definitive moment for the XFL and the beginning of an incredible, long-term partnership for the league, building on my longstanding, very successful legacy relationship I’ve had with Disney throughout my career. We’re excited to be working with global visionaries that are aligned with the XFL’s values, are true team players and share our ambitious goals to grow the XFL as a global sports and entertainment business. Through the combined power of Disney, ESPN and the XFL, together we will create a new powerhouse on the sports calendar and bring a dynamic game of football to fans everywhere. Time to ball out.”

 

Gerry Cardinale said, “With today’s announcement, the XFL has launched a truly innovative partnership with The Walt Disney Company and its world-class platforms across media, culture, sports and entertainment.  It is a privilege to join forces with the incredibly talented team at Disney and ESPN and bring Dany and Dwayne’s vision for world-class football and live event entertainment to our fans and players.”

America’s Top Soccer League Premieres On ESPN Africa This Weekend

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After the shortest off-season in history, the 2022 Major League Soccer (MLS) season kicks off this weekend. Set to premiere live on ESPN Africa (DStv 218, Starsat 248),  America’s top Soccer league gets underway on Saturday 26 February with Philadelphia Union taking on Minnesota United at 20:00, followed by the clash between Columbus Crew and Vancouver Whitecaps at 22:30 The action continues on Sunday with Orlando City facing CF Montreal  at 20:00 and Atlanta United going head to head with Sporting Kansas City at 22:00 (CAT).

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This season, an exciting slate of African players will show their prowess on the field. Minnesota United beat off a number of clubs to sign promising Bafana Bafana international striker Bongokuhle Hlongwane from Maritzburg United. South African youth prospect Tsiki Ntsabeleng joins FC Dallas after being selected as the number 28 pick in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. Ntsabeleng signed a one-year deal with the Texan club, with further club options until 2025.

Yaw Yeboah, capped four times by the Black Stars of Ghana, has signed a three-year deal with Columbus Crew, joining from Polish team Wisla Krakow. Nigerian left winger James Igbekeme has also signed with The Crew, on loan from Spanish club Real Zaragoza. Meanwhile veteran Ghanaian fullback Harrison Afful left Columbus Crew after a seven year spell with the club, to sign a one-year deal with expansion club Charlotte FC.

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Senegalese goalkeeper Clement Diop has inked a one-year deal with Inter Miami while Ghanaian striker Abu Danladi joined Minnesota United on a one-year deal from Nashville SC, his second spell with the club affectionately known as The Loons. 37 year-old striker Kei Kamara, currently fifth on MLS's all-time scoring list, returns to MLS this year after signing a one year deal with Canadian club CF Montreal.

The competition on the field will be fierce as multiple international new signings enter the fray this season. Swiss dynamo Xherdan Shaqiri, nicknamed the “Alpine Messi”, has signed for Chicago Fire while LA Galaxy have added mercurial Brazilian winger Douglas Costa from Italian Serie-A club Juventus. Atlanta United have completed the acquisition of 20 year-old Argentinean prodigy Thiago Almada from Velez Sarsfield. Toronto FC recently announced the signing of Italian Lorenzo Insigne from Napoli who will join the club in June once the European season has concluded. Insigne, who will earn roughly $13 million-per-year, will become the highest-paid player in MLS history.

The 27th campaign of MLS will have 28 teams, with Charlotte FC making their debut as the new expansion franchise. New York City FC will enter the season as defending champions, having defeated the Portland Timbers in MLS Cup 2021. The New England Revolution will enter the season as the reigning Supporters' Shield winners. The entire MLS 2022 regular season will play out over 225 days with the MLS Cup Final scheduled to take place on 5 November 2022, sixteen days prior to the 2022 FIFA World Cup taking place in Qatar.

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The Risks of Disney’s Quick Fix for Subscriber Growth

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Disney has figured out an ingenious way to jump-start its streaming subscriber growth—give people less of a choice! Since late December, Disney has automatically included Disney+ and ESPN+ in one of its Hulu offerings, at a slightly higher price than it previously charged, we learned today. Ingenious! It’s a reminder that the customer-unfriendly DNA of the television industry still lurks in the genes of companies like Disney.

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There’s only one reason you take this action, and it’s to juice subscriber numbers. The strategy is working so far. Disney executives said the bundling—which they called a “strategic decision,” whatever that means—accounted for half of the surprisingly strong North American subscriber additions for Disney+ in the quarter. And sure, it’s a good deal for consumers right now: Even after the price raise, the bundle implies a hefty discount on all three services. But it’s a slippery slope. Forcing people to take services they don’t necessarily want is how the cable TV became a cash-printing machine, before steady price rises eventually alienated so many customers it went into a decline that is still underway.

Still, TV executives across the industry will surely take heart from Disney’s move. There have been straws in the wind for a while that executives at companies like Discovery—which today said it got regulatory approval to buy HBO Max’s parent, WarnerMedia—would like to offer packages of different streaming services. The current arrangement, low-cost services with lots of programming, is a money-losing proposition. Done right, bundling could offer a solution to streaming’s poor economics. But if it is mishandled—and who would rule out that happening!—it may play into the hands of companies like Netflix and Amazon, which tend to follow a more consumer-friendly approach.

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ESPN Could Be Bundled Under Disney+ A Few Weeks After WWE Network, Could This Signal The End Of Their Linear Services As Well?

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In the past week, there's been several sports-related stories regarding Disney+ globally. In Indonesia, Disney+ Hotstar will be the new home of the WWE Network. At the same time, it was revealed that Disney+ in Australia and New Zealand would be getting a flood of new ESPN documentaries in February. And in a major surprise, three classic ESPN documentaries were released onto Disney+ in the United States, to get fans clued up on the upcoming “Superbowl”.

It was revealed by Helison Medeiros, who has previously revealed many hidden secrets found in the Disney+ code, that a new ESPN event link was added to the Disney+ sitemap. Currently, the link doesn’t work, but it’s a recent addition, showing that something is brewing over at Disney Streaming.

What’s interesting about this event link being added, is that it follows a similar system to how live events are handled on Star+ in Latin America. Star+ is a hybrid between ESPN+ and the Star brand on Disney+, which includes live sports along with general entertainment from Disney’s studios like FX, 20th Century Studios and ABC.

The Walt Disney Company is planning on spending over $33 billion on new content globally in 2022, with a massive portion of that total being spent on access to sports content for its traditional linear networks and streaming services. So it would make sense to utilise this content globally as much as possible.

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Disney+ Hotstar in India offers access to some live sports to subscribers, where live Cricket is one of the most significant incentives for many to subscribe to the streaming service. Disney acquired the Indian streaming service when it purchased 20th Century Fox and rebranded Hotstar into Disney+ Hotstar in March 2020, before then launching the service in other Asian countries, including Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

In the United States, Hulu has been sharing many live sports with ESPN+ and most recently, it closed down Hotstar in the US, moving the live sports to ESPN+ and its general entertainment content to Hulu. With Disney randomly adding three ESPN documentaries ahead of the Superbowl, this could be a test to see if there is any interest on Disney+ for sports content.

Disney+ in the United States has been getting lots of criticism over the lack of content for teenagers and adults, so adding more sports content could help fill in the gap.

Until Disney gets control of Comcast’s stake in Hulu, there are legal and contractual issues that can cause problems. And internationally, ESPN is also tied up in some legal matters and contracts with other companies, such as in Canada. So any changes might be tricky to implement globally, but some deals expire, some can be brought out, and over time, things are possible.

Late last year, in the UK and Ireland, lots of sports content started to be added onto Disney, with over 50 ESPN documentaries now available, with more being added almost weekly. And with Disney+ subscribers in Australia & New Zealand getting access to many of those same ESPN documentaries in February, it shows Disney is starting to utilise its library sports content for Disney+.

So far, Disney hasn’t announced when or if Hotstar in the United Kingdom or Canada will be closed and merged into Disney+. For this to happen, live sports is going to be a major issue that needs to be fixed. If Disney is now testing how to run live events within Disney+, it does open up the door for Disney’s Indian sports content to be moved over.
Adding the WWE Network content to Disney+ Hotstar in Indonesia is also a huge step. It’s the first country outside of the US to have the WWE Network merged into another streaming platform.
Last year in the US, the WWE was moved within Peacock. Many entertainment trade outlets say this is the first of many WWE announcements coming, as it’s likely that the WWE Network is sliced up internationally and added within other streaming services.

I’d also like to point out that Disney Streaming Services, formerly known as Bamtech, actually launched the WWE Network back in 2014. It doesn’t necessarily mean we should expect to see the WWE Network added to Disney+ globally, but it’s now at least a possibility.

Disney also runs a stripped-down version of ESPN+ across EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) called ESPN Player, which provides access to NHL, NCAA, MLB and X-Games across the region. However, there can be some local differences in what’s available.

Also, this week, Disney announced it was planning on launching Disney+ in over 50 countries and territories across the EMEA region later this summer. Merging the smaller streaming services like, Hotstar and ESPN Player into Disney+ across EMEA could help reduce costs in running multiple platforms. This additional sports content could also provide Disney+ with another boost of content and provide more competition to Amazon, Discovery+, Sky/Now/Peacock, and Paramount+, which all offer some live sports.

Since Disney+ launched, it has continued to evolve. With the streaming service market changing so much, especially with more and more streaming services launching, there is a limit to how many platforms people will subscribe to.
Sport is a significant draw for many subscribers, and in the past week, I have little doubt that we could see some more big changes in the year to come.

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Until now, live streaming within Disney+ seemed unlikely, since the app didn’t have anything built-in, which is why Disney+ Hotstar had a different app to the global version.

Disney has tried to run two separate streaming services in Latin America, Disney+ and Star+, which isn’t working as well as they had hoped. If Disney+ does start getting live sports, it also opens the door of opportunity for a Star+ and Disney+ merger.

Adding sports content to Disney+ might have some other issues to overcome. This could result in the overall subscription costs rising due to expensive sports rights. There are also technical issues of streaming sports globally. Especially when it comes to advertising and commercials, plus licensing agreements vary between countries. Any major changes could be a while off.
Disney might try adding ESPN+ within Disney+ as an additional add-on for an extra charge, but other streaming services aren’t doing that, so it might be tricky to implement.

But in a changing world, Disney needs to offer variety to keep subscribers engaged. ESPN is a major global brand and could help expand the reach of Disney+ to a different audience.
It’s important to note, this is all speculation and Disney might have some different plans for its live sports content. If you had asked me a week ago, I probably would have said it wasn’t possible, or it could be years off, or maybe that ESPN+ might just launch globally instead.

But in this last week, we’ve seen ESPN content added onto Disney+ in the US, links to ESPN within Disney+ coding and a major deal with the WWE announced. So the chances of live sports being available within Disney+ without doubt increased!

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Xtreme Football League Founded By WWE's Very Own Vince McMahon Returns In 2023 And WWE Nearly Sold To FOX

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The revived XFL series commence in 2023

Xtreme Football League (XFL) is a professional American football league founded by wrestling executive Vince McMahon in 2018, as a reboot and successor to the league of the same name he founded in 2001.

McMahon re-founded the XFL to create a league with fewer off-field controversies and faster, simpler play compared to the National Football League (NFL), as well as one without the professional wrestling–inspired features and entertainment elements of its predecessor.

The first season of XFL began on February 8, 2020. The league planned to have a ten-week regular season through April 12, with division championships April 18 and 19, with the XFL Championship scheduled for April 26.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the XFL announced that the league would be cancelling the rest of the season, ahead of the league's suspension of operations and bankruptcy filing a month later.

On December 2, 2021, it was revealed on Dany Garcia's Instagram page that the 2023 XFL season would start on February 18, 2023, along with Training Camp in January 2023, as well as a player combine in June 2022.

XFL was distributed by a lot of Disney stations including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 with Fox, FS1, FS2 being retained by the FOX Corporation. Perhaps ESPN or SuperSport will pick up the new season in 2023.

WWE wanted to be purchased several years ago

Ex-WWE creative team member Freddie Prinze Jr told the media that FOX turned down the chance to buy the company outright back when they were negotiating terms to air SmackDown.

According to one of Prinze Jr's friends, who works as an executive at FOX, Vince McMahon's asking price was just too high - the network knocked back the chance to pursue a full purchase, and instead decided to license SmackDown for a still-hefty sum.

There had been chatter back in 2019 about FOX potentially moving to buy WWE, but it's incredible to hear that McMahon was so willing to cede control of his baby. Freddie also said that he'd been sitting on that story for a while, but couldn't resist telling it "because it has been long enough" since FOX were in the running.

Older wrestling fans may still struggle with the thought of Vince selling WWE. There was a time when that seemed impossible, but it's interesting to learn that he has a (rather high) figure in mind for the organisation.

That number was definitely too big for FOX.

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