LAT Top News｜美国国家橄榄球联盟（NFL）收购迪士尼旗下ESPN 10%的股份，ESPN将接管NFL电视网

美国国家橄榄球联盟（NFL）与华特迪士尼公司周二晚间联合宣布，双方已达成协议，NFL将收购迪士尼旗下ESPN体育频道10%的股权。此举有望在未来多年内巩固该体育媒体平台与联盟的战略合作关系。

根据公司近期估值，ESPN将以价值超过20亿美元的股权作为交换，接手美国国家橄榄球联盟（NFL）的有线电视资产，包括NFL电视网和热门频道Red Zone（该频道持续为球迷更新周日赛事战况）。NFL电视网还拥有七场常规赛的转播权。

除出售NFL电视网外，美国职业橄榄球大联盟（NFL）与娱乐与体育节目电视网（ESPN）还达成第二项非约束性协议。根据该协议，NFL将向ESPN授权部分NFL内容及其他知识产权，供NFL电视网及其他资产使用。

这笔交易是ESPN董事长吉米·皮塔罗（Jimmy Pitaro）的重大胜利。他于2018年接手迪士尼旗下该部门时，肩负着改善公司与美国国家橄榄球联盟（NFL）关系的使命。

此次股权收购恰逢ESPN将于今秋进军直接面向消费者的流媒体业务，届时用户无需订阅有线或卫星电视，即可购买该公司的体育频道。NFL电视网也将登陆该流媒体服务平台。

皮塔罗（Pitaro）周二在一份声明中表示："对体育迷而言这是振奋人心的一天。通过将NFL的媒体资源与ESPN的覆盖力和创新力相结合，我们正在为橄榄球迷打造一个顶级观赛平台。ESPN与NFL正共同重新定义球迷参与比赛的方式——无论何时何地。这笔交易将助力ESPN的数字未来，为我们即将推出的全新直营服务奠定更坚实的基础。"

这款新产品旨在赢回那些放弃有线电视和卫星服务的体育迷。由于用户削减有线服务，ESPN的有线电视覆盖家庭数已从2013年的9800万户下降至约7200万户。

迪士尼首席执行官鲍勃·艾格（Bob Iger）在声明中表示："今日的声明为全球顶尖体育媒体品牌与美国最受欢迎运动的合作铺平了道路，这将为NFL球迷带来更激动人心的体验——这种独特体验只有ESPN和迪士尼能够共同呈现。"

根据现行有效期至2033年的美国职业橄榄球大联盟（NFL）转播协议，ESPN拥有《周一橄榄球之夜》及两届超级碗比赛的转播权，但该协议预计将于2029年重新谈判。

与迪士尼的协议意味着，美国国家橄榄球联盟（NFL）的其他合作伙伴——福克斯（Fox）、美国全国广播公司（NBC）、哥伦比亚广播公司（CBS）、YouTube和亚马逊（Amazon）——将在下一次媒体版权竞标中，与联盟存在财务关联的实体展开竞争。

福克斯公司执行董事长拉克兰·默多克周二向华尔街分析师表示，他并不担心美国国家橄榄球联盟（NFL）与ESPN的合作会影响福克斯电视台在该联盟中的地位。

默多克表示：“我们与美国国家橄榄球联盟（NFL）保持着极佳的合作关系，感谢他们对我们广播电视及有线网络的青睐。展望未来，我们期待继续携手共进，深化双方伙伴关系。”

The NFL has reached a deal to take a 10% ownership stake in the Walt Disney Co.s ESPN, the league and Disney announced Tuesday evening, a move that is expected to solidify the sports media outlets relationship with the league for years to come.

In return for the equity stake valued at more than $2 billion based on recent valuations of the company, ESPN will take over the NFLs cable properties including the NFL Network and Red Zone, the popular channel that continuously updates fans on the slate of Sunday contests. The NFL Network also has the rights to seven regular season games.

In addition to the sale of NFL Network, the NFL and ESPN are also entering into a second non-binding agreement, under which the NFL will license to ESPN certain NFL content and other intellectual property to be used by NFL Network and other assets.

The deal is a big win for ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, who took over the Disney unit in 2018 with a mandate to improve the companys relationship with the NFL.

The equity stake comes ahead of ESPNs move into the direct-to-consumer streaming business this fall, which gives consumers the opportunity to purchase the companys sports channels without a cable or satellite TV subscription. NFL Network will also be available on the streaming service.

This is an exciting day for sports fans, Pitaro said Tuesday in a statement. By combining these NFL media assets with ESPNs reach and innovation, were creating a premier destination for football fans. Together, ESPN and the NFL are redefining how fans engage with the game anytime, anywhere. This deal helps fuel ESPNs digital future, laying the foundation for an even more robust offering as we prepare to launch our new direct-to-consumer service.

The new product is aimed at recapturing sports fans who are forgoing cable and satellite services. ESPN has seen its reach in cable decline from 98 million homes in 2013 to around 72 million as a result of cord-cutting.

Todays announcement paves the way for the worlds leading sports media brand and Americas most popular sport to deliver an even more compelling experience for NFL fans, in a way that only ESPN and Disney can, Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger said in a statement.

ESPN has the broadcast rights to Monday Night Football and two Super Bowl games in the current NFL contract that runs through 2033 but is expected to be reopened in 2029.

The deal with Disney means the NFLs other partners Fox, NBC, CBS, YouTube and Amazon will be bidding against an entity that the league has a financial interest in next time the media rights come up.

Lachlan Murdoch, executive chairman of Fox Corp., told Wall Street analysts Tuesday he is not concerned the NFLs partnership with ESPN will impact his networks standing with the league.

We have a tremendous relationship with the NFL, Murdoch said. We appreciate that they are fans of the broadcast and cable networks, and we look forward to working with them and deepening our relationship with them as we move forward.