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Sports broadcasting contracts in the United States

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For broader coverage of this topic, see Sports television broadcast contracts.

In the United States, sports are televised on various broadcast networks, national and specialty sports cable channels, and regional sports networks. U.S. sports rights are estimated to be worth a total of $22.42 billion in 2019, about 44 percent of the total worldwide sports media market.[1] U.S. networks are willing to pay a significant amount of money for television sports contracts because it attracts large amounts of viewership; live sport broadcasts accounted for 44 of the 50 list of most watched television broadcasts in the United States in 2016.[2]

Among these television contracts, NBC holds a $7.75 billion contract, signed in 2014, to air the Olympic Games through the 2032 games,[3] making it a major source of revenue for the International Olympic Committee.[4] The broadcast deals of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), running through 2032 (and including its most significant property, the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament — colloquially known as "March Madness"), were worth $8.8 billion in 2018.[5]

The U.S. is home to four of the top five professional sports leagues by revenue in the world: Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and National Hockey League (NHL). The NFL has the largest television contracts, and earns about $11 billion annually from its contracts with Fox, CBS, NBC and ESPN for the 2023 through 2033 seasons.[6] MLB earns $1.5 billion annually from its contracts signed in 2012 with ESPN, Fox, and Turner Sports (TBS) for the 2014 through 2021 seasons.[7] In 2014, the NBA signed a nine-year television deal with ABC/ESPN and TNT that generates annual league television revenues of $2.66 billion beginning with the 2016–17 season,[8] while the NHL earns $625 million annually from seven-year contracts signed in 2021 with ESPN and Turner Sports to last until the 2027–28 season.[9][10]

American football

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National Football League

Main article: NFL on American television

Since the 1960s, all regular season and playoff games broadcast in the United States have been aired by national television networks. Until the broadcast contract ended in 2013, the terrestrial television networks CBS, NBC, and Fox, as well as cable television's ESPN, paid a combined total of US$20.4 billion[11] to broadcast NFL games. From 2014 to 2022, the same networks paid $39.6 billion for exactly the same broadcast rights.[12] This increased to about $110 billion annually to air games from 2023 to 2033.[6] The NFL thus holds broadcast contracts with four companies (Paramount Global, Comcast, Fox Corporation, and ESPN Inc.—which is majority owned by The Walt Disney Company, respectively) that control a combined media cross-ownership in the United States. League-owned NFL Network, on cable television, also broadcasts a selected number of games nationally. In 2017, the NFL games attracted the top three rates for a 30-second advertisement: $699,602 for NBC Sunday Night Football, $550,709 for Thursday Night Football (NBC), and $549,791 for Thursday Night Football (CBS).[13]

For the 2020 NFL season, two extra wild card playoff games were added to the schedule; CBS and NBC acquired rights to these new games, with both paying roughly $70 million each.[14]

Television

More information Package, Rightsholder ...
PackageRightsholderExtent of coverageCurrent contract term
AFCCBS
2023–2033[15][16][17][18][19][20][21]
NFCFox
Sunday Night FootballNBC
  • Sunday primetime game during regular season
  • NFL Kickoff Game
  • Thanksgiving Day game in primetime
  • One regular season game on Saturday
  • One extra regular season game exclusively on Peacock from 2023–28
  • One wild card game (Two in 2026 and 2031 seasons, three in 2023 with one game exclusively on Peacock)
  • One divisional playoff game
  • Part of Super Bowl rights rotation
Monday Night FootballESPN/ABC
  • Monday primetime games during regular season
  • Three weeks with a separate game on ABC
  • Season’s final week Saturday doubleheader simulcast on ABC
  • One extra regular season game exclusively on ESPN+
  • One wild card game simulcast on ABC
  • One divisional playoff game simulcast on ABC
  • Pro Bowl Games simulcast on ABC
  • Part of Super Bowl rights rotation shown on ABC
  • Option to air games with supplemental feeds on other ESPN/Disney networks.
NFL Network
  • Late-season Saturday games
  • 4 European games
  • Christmas Eve game (when schedule permits)
2022–2033[19]
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Digital and out-of-market

More information Package, Rightsholder ...
PackageRightsholderExtent of coverageCurrent contract term
Thursday Night FootballPrime Video
Twitch
  • 15 games on Thursday nights (excluding the Kickoff Game and Thanksgiving, which are part of the SNF package)
  • Black Friday Game
  • One wild card game
2022–2033[19]
Christmas Day GameNetflix
  • 1 game on Christmas Day (2 Games on 2024)
2024–2026[22]
NFL Sunday TicketYouTube TVOut-of-market Sunday regional games2023–[23]
NFL+ Streaming of in-market and national games on over-the-top subscription; merger of NFL Game Pass and previous streaming via Yahoo Sports. 2022–????[24]
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Radio

Westwood One has exclusive national radio rights through an unspecified multi-year period starting in the 2022 season. As of 2022, Westwood One airs coverage of nationally telecast primetime games, as well as all playoff games and other NFL events.[25][26]

Compass Media Networks, ESPN Radio, and the Sports USA Radio Network have national radio rights to regular season Sunday afternoon games sublicensed from Dial Global.

Each NFL team has local television stations with rights to preseason games and radio stations with rights to all games.

See also: List of current NFL broadcasters

Sirius XM has exclusive satellite radio rights to home, away, and, if available, national broadcast radio feeds of all games. It also has rights to online streaming of games for its subscribers starting with the 2011 season.

College football

Main article: College football on television

College football coverage is dependent on negotiations between the broadcaster and the college football conference or team. The televised games may change from year-to-year depending on which teams are having a strong season, although some traditional college rivalry games are broadcast each year. Some games are traditionally associated with a specific event or holiday, and viewing the game itself can become a holiday tradition for fans.

Post-season bowl games, including the College Football Playoff, are presently all televised, most of them by the ESPN networks.[27] The television broadcast rights to all six CFP bowls and the National Championship are owned by ESPN through at least the 2025 season.[28] In November 2012, ESPN reached a 12-year deal to broadcast the remaining three bowls, the championship game, as well as shoulder programming such as ranking shows; as a whole, the contract is valued at around $470 million per year, or nearly $5.7 billion for the life of the contract.[29]

Regular-season

More information Conference/Team, Rightsholder ...
Conference/TeamRightsholderExtent of coverageCurrent contract term
American Athletic Conference ABC/ESPN
2020–2031[30]
CBS Sports
  • Most Navy home games, including all against Air Force
 2018–2027[31]
 2023–2028[32][33]
2024–2038[34]
Atlantic Coast Conference ABC/ESPN
2019–2036[35][36]
The CW
(via Raycom Sports)
  • 13 games
 2023–2026[37]
Big 12 Conference ABC/ESPN
2025–2031[38]
Fox Sports
  • 26 games
 2025–2031[38]
TNT Sports
(via ESPN)
  • 13 games
 2025–2031[39]
Big Ten Conference Fox Sports
2023–2029[40]
CBS Sports
  • 14-15 games on CBS, including one on Black Friday
  • Championship Game in 2024 and 2028
 2023–2029[40]
NBC Sports
  • 14–15 games on NBC
  • 8 games on Peacock
  • Championship Game in 2026
 2023–2029[40]
Big Ten Network
  • Maximum of 50 games
 2023–2029[40]
Conference USA CBS Sports
2023–2027[41]
ESPN
  • 8 midweek October games on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU
  • Remaining games on ESPN3 and/or ESPN+
 2023–2027[41]
Mid-American Conference ESPN
2014–2026[42]
CBS Sports
(via ESPN)
 ????[43][44]
Mountain West Conference CBS Sports
2020–2025[45]
Fox Sports
2020–2025[45]
TNT Sports
  • 14 games (in 2024)
 2024–2025????[46]
Pac-12 Conference Fox Sports
  • 2 games on Fox or FS1
 2024[47]
The CW
  • 11 games
 2024[47]
Southeastern Conference ABC/ESPN
2024–2033[48]
Sun Belt Conference ESPN
2020–2030[49][50]
Notre Dame NBC Sports
  • All home games
  • Select games on Peacock
 2024–2029[51]
UConn CBS Sports Network
  • Most home games
 2020–2024[52][53]
UMass ESPN
  • All home games
  • At least one home game on linear in 2023 and 2024
 2022–2024[54]
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Post-season

Radio

CFL

Main article: Canadian Football League § Foreign coverage

Since 2023, CBS Sports Network holds the television rights to 34 games from the CFL. All games are produced by TSN.[56] Games not picked up by CBSSN, including the Grey Cup, air for free on CFL+.[57]

Sirius XM Canada's radio broadcasts of the CFL are available in the United States.[58]

XFL

Main article: XFL (2020) § Broadcasting

The new incarnation of the XFL divided its broadcast rights between ESPN on ABC/ESPN and Fox Sports under a three-year deal. XFL games were split among ABC, Fox, ESPN, and Fox Sports 1 (with a small number of games scheduled for ESPN2 and Fox Sports 2). ESPN was to air the championship game. The Wall Street Journal reported via inside sources that neither the broadcasters or the league made any upfront payments, but that the XFL sold the in-game sponsorship inventory. The networks covered the production costs, held the digital rights to their telecasts, and the right to sell the conventional commercial inventory during their games.[59][60]

The league filed for bankruptcy and folded when the first season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, during the bankruptcy process, Fox expressed interest in broadcasting games if new owners could revive the league.[61] The league was sold to a group headed by actor Dwayne Johnson for $15 million.[62]

USFL

Main article: United States Football League (2022) § Broadcasting

The new incarnation of the USFL divided its broadcast rights between NBC Sports and Fox Sports, which also owns the league, under a three-year deal. Fox, Fox Sports 1, NBC and USA Network air games as part of the agreement. Peacock previously aired exclusive games but now only airs simulcasts of games on NBC and USA. Fox and NBC air the USFL championship game in rotation.[63] It was the first rights fee deal for alternative football league in the 21st century.[64]

United Football League

Main article: United Football League (2024) § Broadcasting

As part of the merger between the XFL (broadcast rights owned by ESPN/ABC) and USFL (broadcast rights owned by Fox Sports), both media partners maintained media agreements with the new United Football League. NBC Sports, who had shared media rights with Fox for the USFL, dropped their involvement due to schedule conflicts.

Baseball

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Major League Baseball

National television

Main article: Major League Baseball on television

On August 28, 2012, it was announced that ESPN and Major League Baseball had agreed on a new eight-year deal that greatly increases the network's studio and game content across all of its platforms. Also it increased ESPN's average yearly payment from about $360 million to approximately $700 million.[65] ESPN also returned to broadcasting postseason baseball beginning in 2014 with one of two wild-card games each season. The network alternates airing the American League and National League wild-card games each year. It also has the rights to all potential regular-season tiebreaker games starting in 2014.[66][67]

On September 19, 2012, Sports Business Daily[68][69] reported that Major League Baseball would agree to separate eight-year television deals[70] with Fox Sports and Turner Sports[71] through the 2021 season. Fox would reportedly pay around $4 billion over eight years (close to $500 million per year) while Turner would pay around $2.8 billion over eight years (more than $300 million per year). Under the new deals, Fox and TBS's coverage would essentially be the same as in the 2007–2013 contract with the exception of Fox and TBS splitting coverage of the Division Series, which TBS has broadcast exclusively dating back to 2007. More importantly, Fox would carry some of the games (such as the Saturday afternoon Game of the Week) on its all-sports channel, Fox Sports 1. Sources also said that was possible that Fox would sell some Division Series games to MLB Network, which did end up occurring.

On November 15, 2018, Fox renewed its rights, set to end in 2022, through 2028. The contract maintains Fox's current coverage structure, but with expanded digital rights, and the commitment to air more games on the Fox broadcast network when the new deal takes effect.[72][73] Fox also committed to airing at least two of its League Championship Series games, as well as any Game 7, on the broadcast network beginning in 2019; it had been criticized for airing only Game 2 of the 2018 National League Championship Series, while placing the rest on Fox Sports 1.[74]

On September 24, 2020, TBS also renewed its rights from 2022 through 2028, under which it will replace its late-season Sunday afternoon games with a season-long package of primetime games on Tuesday nights, and maintain its existing arrangements for playoff coverage. The contract also adds expanded digital rights for Bleacher Report and "additional WarnerMedia platforms".[75][76][77] ESPN would in turn renew its rights to MLB on May 13, 2021, for the 2022 to 2028 seasons; the deal ends ESPN's coverage of weeknight games, but retains its exclusive Sunday night window and playoff telecasts.[78] On March 8, 2022, Apple Inc. signed a seven-year deal with MLB for the broadcast for US$85 million per year, a total value of $595 million. This includes an annual $55 million rights fee as well as $30 million for Apple advertising. Apple has the right to exit the agreement after the first or second year.[79] On April 9, 2022, NBC Sports announced an agreement with MLB for a package of new Sunday afternoon games starting from 2022 season; those matches are broadcast exclusively on Peacock.

On February 20, 2025, ESPN and Major League Baseball announced that they have agreed to part ways following the 2025 season.[80]

  • Fox/FS1:[81] 52 Saturday afternoon games; two Division Series; one League Championship Series; All-Star Game; World Series.
  • TBS/Max: 26 Tuesday night games throughout the season. Postseason coverage consists of two Division Series; and one League Championship Series. TNT serves as an overflow channel.[82]
  • ESPN: 30 regular-season games annually. This include Sunday Night Baseball, the Little League Classic and the national Opening Night telecast. In addition, will continue to carry the Home Run Derby and can televise up to 10 Spring Training games. ESPN will have the rights to exclusively broadcast all MLB Wild Card Series starting in 2022. ESPN+ will continue to televise select MLB games, subject to blackout restrictions, nearly every day of the regular season.[78][83]
  • MLB Network: Airs 26 non-exclusive MLB Network Showcase games, and Spanish coverage of TBS's playoff coverage. The channel also carries various other games simulcast from local broadcasters.
  • Apple TV+: 24 Friday night regular-season games annually until 2029.
  • Roku: 18 Sunday afternoon regular-season games annually.

Local television

Main article: List of current Major League Baseball broadcasters

National radio

  • ESPN Radio: a Saturday game of the week, Sunday night, opening day and holiday games, plus the All-Star Game and the entire postseason.
  • TUDN Radio: Spanish-language coverage of select regular season games, the Home Run Derby, the All-Star Game, and the postseason.[84]

Local radio

  • MLB teams also contract with local broadcasters to air games on radio. Several teams have multiple affiliates covering those games. The flagship stations can air all games of the teams they contract with, other affiliates must allow ESPN radio coverage to air during the postseason.

Caribbean Series

ESPN Deportes has Spanish-language TV and radio rights to the Caribbean Series.

College Baseball

Post-season ESPN currently broadcasts the College World Series on its family of networks.

Regular-season Nationally televised regular-season games are contracted through each conference and appear on CBS Sports Network, ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU, FS1, and FS2, along with several school- and conference-specific networks (Big Ten Network, SEC Network and ACC Network).

Little League Baseball

ESPN has rights to broadcast the entire Little League World Series, as well as the finals of the eight regional tournaments that determine the U.S. representatives in that competition. It distributes coverage among its family of networks and ABC; the final is aired on ABC.

Softball

Minor League Baseball

Minor League Baseball has a contract with Stadium to air two games each week.[85]

Nippon Professional Baseball

Other baseball leagues

Basketball

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National Basketball Association

National television

Main article: NBA on television

On October 6, 2014, NBA announced a nine-year $24 billion ($2.7 billion/year) extension with ESPN, ABC and Turner Sports beginning with the 2016–17 NBA season and running through the 2024–25 season[87] – the second most expensive media rights in the world after NFL and on a par with English football on television in annual rights fee from 2016–17 Premier League to 2018–19 season.[88]

  • ABC: 19 regular-season games (Christmas Day double or triple header, and late-season games on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons); some first- and second-round playoff games (mostly on weekend afternoons); NBA Finals through 2025
  • ESPN: 82 regular-season games (mostly on Wednesday and Friday night doubleheaders; occasional Sunday and Monday night games); up to 30 playoff games during the first two rounds conference semi-final games and one of the conference finals per-season through 2025.
  • TNT/Max: 67 regular-season games (mostly on Tuesday and Thursday night doubleheaders); All-Star Weekend; up to 45 playoff games during the first two rounds; conference semi-final games and one of the conference finals per-season through 2025
  • NBA TV: 106 regular-season games on Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Saturday night and up to 9 postseason games through 2025
New 2025–26 season contracts

On July 24, 2024, the NBA announced new 11-year agreements with ESPN/ABC, NBC Sports, and Amazon Prime Video that will last from the 2025–26 to 2035–36 seasons.[89]

  • ABC/ESPN/ESPN+: 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/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; continued rights to the NBA Finals on ABC through 2036.[90]
  • NBC/Peacock: 100 regular season games on Sunday, Tuesday nights; All-Star Weekend, One of the two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years on a rotating basis with Amazon Prime Video, beginning with the 2025–26 season. Home of USA Basketball Senior Men's and Women's National Team games beginning in 2025.[91]
  • Amazon Prime Video: 66 regular-season games (Thursday and Friday night doubleheaders); select Saturday afternoon games, all out of market games via NBA League Pass,[92] at least one game on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving); Quarterfinals and Semifinals in the Knockout Round of the Emirates NBA Cup; Championship Game of the Emirates NBA Cup; SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament games; One of the two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years on a rotating basis with NBC/Peacock, beginning with the 2025–26 season.[93]

Local television

Additionally, local or regional broadcasters contract with the NBA team in their area for the right to broadcast a number of regular-season games locally. These broadcasters can be traditional over-the-air television stations as well as regional cable sports channels or streaming services. WGN-TV, then a Chicago-based superstation, broadcast a limited number of Chicago Bulls regular season games on WGN America until 2014, fewer than they provided locally. If ESPN chooses to opt out of airing all of the games on their night, NBA TV airs a game in its place. Games in the first round of the playoffs can be aired by regional broadcasters, unless the national broadcaster has exclusive rights. Games in the first round not selected by national broadcasters are usually broadcast by NBA TV.

National radio

  • ESPN Radio: usually one game from the Sunday afternoon package, one game on Thursday night, and postseason coverage including all games in the Conference Finals and the NBA Finals

Local radio

NBA teams also contract with local radio broadcasters to air their games. Teams may also have affiliates air their games.

Women's National Basketball Association

In 2013, the WNBA and ESPN signed a six-year extension on the broadcast deal to cover 2017–2022. In the new deal, a total of 30 games would be shown each season on ESPN networks. Each team would receive around $1 million per year.[94]

On April 22, 2019, CBS Sports Network reached a multi-year deal to televise 40 regular-season weekend and primetime WNBA games, beginning in the 2019 WNBA season.[95][96]

From 2025-2026 season

College basketball

Main article: Men's college basketball on television

Postseason

Regular season Nationally televised regular-season games are contracted through each conference and air as follows:

FIBA

Other leagues

Boxing

Cricket

International competitions
National competitions

Curling

More than 300 hours of live curling, broadcast by TSN in Canada, will be live-streamed on ESPN3, including:

Cycling

Grand Tours
Other road cycling races

Esports

Golf

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Men's majors

More information Event, Rightsholder ...
EventRightsholderExtent of coverageCurrent contract term/notes
Masters TournamentCBS (free-to-air)Weekend round coverage1956–present.
Augusta National Golf Club does not use long-term contracts, but has consistently chosen CBS as its broadcast partner annually.[106][107]
ESPN (subscription)Early-round coverage. Spanish coverage on all four days on ESPN DeportesESPN replaced USA Network in 2008, who first added first- and second-round coverage on cable in 1982.[108]
ESPN+ (subscription streaming)Live streams of Featured Groups, Featured Holes and Amen Corner during live play on all four days
PGA ChampionshipCBS (free-to-air)Weekend round coverage2020–2030, aired since 1991.[109]
ESPN (subscription)Early-round coverage
weekend morning coverage		2020–2030.
ESPN succeeded TNT as cable rightsholder.[109]
ESPN+ (subscription streaming)
  • Exclusive Featured Groups and Featured Holes coverage over all four days
  • Exclusive traditional coverage until switching to television windows
 2020–2030[109]
U.S. OpenNBC (free-to-air)Late-afternoon/Primetime early rounds coverage
Weekend round coverage		2020–2026; contract includes all USGA national championships.
Peacock (streaming) Supplemental coverage
USA Network (subscription)Early-round coverage
The Open ChampionshipNBC (free-to-air)Weekend round coverage2016–2028 (first year sub-licensed from former rightsholder ESPN)[110][111]
USA Network (subscription)Early-round coverage2022–2028[110]
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Women's majors

More information Event, Rightsholder ...
EventRightsholderExtent of coverageCurrent contract term/notes
ANA InspirationGolf Channel (subscription)Full coveragePart of LPGA broadcast rights.
Women's PGA ChampionshipNBC (free-to-air)Weekend round coverage[112]
Golf Channel (subscription)Early-round coverage
U.S. Women's OpenNBC (free-to-air)Late-afternoon/primetime coverage of early rounds, weekend round coverage2020–2026; contract includes all United States Golf Association national championships.
USA Network (subscription)Early-round coverage
The Evian ChampionshipGolf Channel (subscription)Full coveragePart of LPGA broadcast rights.
Women's British OpenNBC (free-to-air)Weekend round coverage2016–2028 (part of Open Championship broadcast rights)[110][111][113]
USA Network (subscription)Early-round coverage
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Major Tours

More information Tour, Rightsholder ...
TourRightsholderExtent of coverageCurrent contract term/notes
PGA TourCBS (free-to-air)
  • Weekend round coverage of at least 19 tournaments per-season.
  • Alternates with NBC to broadcast the three FedEx Cup Playoffs tournaments beginning 2022.
 2011–2030[114][115][116][117][118]
NBC (free-to-air)
Golf Channel (subscription)
  • Early-round coverage of all tournaments, 4 round coverage of tournaments not aired by CBS or NBC
  • Coverage of the senior PGA Tour Champions circuit and the developmental Korn Ferry Tour.
ESPN+ (streaming)
  • Live coverage from 36 tournaments a year, including a full four days of coverage at 28 events
  • Four simultaneous live feeds each day
 2022–2030[119]
LPGAGolf Channel (subscription)
  • Exclusive coverage of most events (select events may have weekend coverage on NBC or CBS)
  • Solheim Cup
 2022–2030[120]
ESPN+ (subscription streaming)
  • Featured Group coverage each day at eight events
 2024–2025[121]
DP World Tour (European Tour)Golf Channel (subscription)

Exclusive rights for coverage of most events (shared coverage of the Scottish Open with ESPN+ and CBS)

 2015–2024[122]
LIV GolfThe CW (free-to-air)Saturday and Sunday round coverageBeginning in 2023[123]
The CW App (streaming)Friday, Saturday and Sunday round coverage
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Ice hockey

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National Hockey League

Main article: History of the National Hockey League on United States television

As of the 2021–22 NHL season, the national media rights of the National Hockey League (NHL) are divided between ESPN and TNT Sports under seven-year contracts;[124][125][126]

More information Rightsholder, Extent of coverage ...
Rightsholder Extent of coverage
ABC
  • At least 37 exclusive regular season games per-season between ESPN and ESPN2.
  • At least 15 exclusive regular season games per-season on ABC.[127]
    • ABC's broadcasts will consist primarily of a late-season doubleheader/"game of the week" package on most Saturday afternoons and some Saturday nights in the later half of the season.[126]
  • Rights to first round of the NHL Entry Draft, shown on ESPN
  • Rights to the Opening Night games, shown on ESPN
  • Rights to the NHL All-Star Game, shown on ABC, NHL All-Star Skills Competition, shown on ESPN, and NHL All-Star Player Draft, shown on ESPN2
  • Rights to the NHL Stadium Series
  • Rights to half of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including one conference final per-season. ABC/ESPN has the first choice of which conference final to air.[128]
  • Broadcasts the Stanley Cup Finals in even-numbered years. Rights to broadcast supplemental feeds on other ESPN platforms.
  • Rights to the NHL Awards, shown on ESPN in even years
ESPN, ESPN2
ESPN+
  • Up to 50 exclusive regular season games per season, simulcast on Hulu.
  • Streams all out-of-market games.[129]
  • Simulcasts of all ABC games, select ESPN games, and the Stanley Cup Finals.
  • No more than 8 games per team each season can be exclusive to ESPN+.
TNT, TBS, Max
  • Up to 62 exclusive regular season games per-season,[124] primarily on Wednesday nights.[126]
  • Rights to the NHL Winter Classic and Heritage Classic (the latter in years when it is scheduled)
  • Rights to the NHL Thanksgiving Showdown
  • Rights to simulcast and/or provide supplemental broadcasts for select games on truTV
  • Rights to half of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including one conference final per-season.
  • Broadcasts the Stanley Cup Finals in odd-numbered years, simulcast on TBS and truTV
  • Rights to the NHL Awards, shown on TNT in odd years
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Local or regional broadcasters contract with the NHL team in their area for the right to broadcast several regular-season games locally.

Radio

Sports USA Radio airs selected regular season and postseason games, including the entire Stanley Cup Finals.[130] NHL teams also contract with local radio broadcasters to air game; games are also simulcast from local radio feeds on the Sirius XM satellite radio platform.

Premier Hockey Federation

The Premier Hockey Federation (PHF; formerly the National Women's Hockey League) has primarily partnered with streaming outlets, which have in the past included ESPN3,[131] Cheddar,[132] and Twitter.[133] In 2019, the league signed with Twitch to stream games and ancillary content, in its first contract to ever include a rights fee.[134]

NBCSN was to televise the league's 2021 semi-final and finals in the NWHL's first linear rights deal.

The NWHL had also reached an agreement with NBCSN to carry the 2021 Isobel Cup semi-finals and finals, which would marked the first NWHL games to be broadcast nationally on a linear television channel.[135]

For 2021–22 season, The PHF, will stream 60 regular season games, special events and its Isobel Cup Playoffs exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S.

Southern Professional Hockey League

  • America One: Regular season, playoffs and Championships through 2014

College hockey

Regular season games air locally, often via regional sports networks (such as Bally Sports) and networks contracted with conferences, these conferences include:

Other ice hockey leagues

Horse racing

NBC holds the rights to two of three races in the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby through 2025,[137] and the Preakness Stakes through 2022,[138] USA Network, CNBC or Peacock provides supplementary coverage, including previews and associated undercard races on Fridays preceding the Saturday races (including the Kentucky Oaks and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes). NBC also carries coverage of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, including the Florida Derby, Santa Anita Derby and Blue Grass Stakes races. NBC and CNBC also carry the Breeders' Cup since 2022, with CNBC carrying most of the coverage, and the Breeders' Cup Classic airing on the main network.[139]

Fox Sports has the rights to the Belmont Stakes through 2030. Fox and FS1 both air the Belmont, with FS1 providing extra upplementary coverage.[140] Fox Sports also has an agreement with the NYRA for year-round coverage of NYRA races from Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park.[141]

FanDuel TV and FanDuel Racing also air live horse racing.[142]

Lacrosse

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Premier Lacrosse League

Main article: Premier Lacrosse League on television
  • ESPN: 3 games including championship game live on ABC, 3 games on ESPN, 6 games on ESPN2, and every game on ESPN+.
  • ESPN+ and Lax Sports Network

Women's Professional Lacrosse League

National Lacrosse League

Main article: National Lacrosse League on television

College Lacrosse

Varsity lacrosse

Club Lacrosse

  • Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association: Semi-finals and Championship of both division 1 and 2 broadcast nationally on Fox College Sports, usually the Pacific affiliate. Championships also simulcast on the MCLA website.
  • BYU TV: At least one home MCLA game featuring BYU, but BYUtv Sports has rights to all home games.

International Lacrosse

Kickboxing

Mixed martial arts

Motorsport

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NASCAR

See also: NASCAR on television and radio

Fox Sports, NBC Sports, Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports have contracts for all NASCAR Cup Series events through 2031, while The CW have contract for all NASCAR Xfinity Series events also through 2031. On October 15, 2012, NASCAR and the Fox Sports Media Group (FSMG) announced a new $2.4 billion eight-year deal, a 30% increase from their previous deal.[144] On July 23, 2013, NASCAR and the NBC Sports Group announced a new $4.4 billion ten-year deal.[145][146][147] Ten days later on August 1, 2013, NASCAR and Fox extended and expanded their agreement, paying an additional $1.4 billion to do so, to complete NASCAR's new TV package through the 2024 season.[148][149] In July 2023, broadcast network The CW signed a TV rights deal to broadcast the NASCAR Xfinity Series from 2025 to 2031 for an estimated $115 million annual fee.[150] In November 2023, NASCAR announced a television and streaming deal for the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Truck Series from 2025 to 2031 for a $1.1 billion annual fee.[151][152] Fox Sports and NBC Sports will distribute 14 Cup races each, with five and four races on their broadcast networks respectively. Fox Sports will continue to air early season spring races including the Daytona 500, while NBC will continue to show late-season fall races including the entire NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Amazon Prime Video will stream five Cup races in the early summer, as well as practice and qualifying for the first half of the season except for the Clash, Daytona 500 and All-Star Race. TNT will show the remaining five Cup races in the late summer, which will also be streamed on the Bleacher Report Sports Add-On on Max. Practice and qualifying will air on TruTV and Max for the second half of the season. It was also announced that Fox Sports would continue its arrangement with the Truck series from the previous media deal.

IndyCar

Starting from 2025 season Fox Sports will be the new exclusive rights holder for both NTT IndyCar Series and Indy NXT series. Coverage will be as follows:

Formula One

ESPN aired Formula One from 1984 to 1997. Speed and Fox Sports Net shared broadcasting rights from 1998 to 2000. Speedvision and its successor Speed Channel continued to broadcast the championship until 2012. Fox aired select races from 2007 to 2012. NBC Sports had English-language TV broadcasting rights from 2013 through 2017. Races were televised by NBC, NBCSN or CNBC and streamed on NBC Sports Live Extra.[155][156]

ESPN became the new broadcaster in 2018. The network unveiled plans to show over 100 hours of F1 programming during their first season returning to the sport. This included plans to show every practice and qualifying session in some capacity. Race broadcasts would be spread across ESPN and ESPN2 with plans to show live coverage of Canada GP, the American and Mexican Grand Prix live on ABC while also showing the Monaco Grand Prix on tape-delay.[157] March 1 of that year they announced the launch of their own Over-the-top media service called F1 TV Pro what show races live and on-demand.[158]

ESPN Deportes has the current Spanish-language rights.

IMSA

Motorcycle racing

SuperMotocross World Championship

Includes the AMA Supercross Championship and AMA Motocross Championship.

  • NBC: Eight races, of which six are live
  • USA: Six races, of which four are live
  • Peacock: Every race live
  • CNBC: Every race on next day delay

Other motorcycle racing

Open wheel racing

Drag racing

Short track racing

Off-road racing

Touring car racing

Endurance racing

Other

Multi-discipline events

Rugby league

Rugby union

Major League Rugby

FS1 and FS2 broadcast select games. All games are available free of charge on The Rugby Network

The Championship Final is broadcast on Fox.

Local television

  • Additionally, local or regional broadcasters contract with the MLR team in their area for the right to broadcast a number of regular season games locally, primarily on regional sports networks.

International Rugby

NBC has rights to all World Rugby international events through 2023, including:[165]

NBC also has the rights to the Six Nations Championship.

Other international competitions/tournaments

Rugby sevens

Soccer

Summarize
Perspective

International competitions

More information Event, Rightsholder ...
Broadcasting contracts for international soccer competitions
Event Rightsholder Broadcast Details
FIFA World Cup finals Fox Sports English-language rights through 2026
Telemundo Deportes Spanish-language rights through 2026
FIFA World Cup qualification TrillerTV English and Spanish-language rights; CONCACAF qualification matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Fox Sports, FuboTV English-language rights; UEFA European qualification matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup[167]
Univision Spanish-language rights; UEFA European qualification matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup[168]
Telemundo, ViX Spanish-language rights; CONMEBOL qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (Home matches from Argentina and Brazil) [169]
FIFA+ English and Spanish-language rights; CONMEBOL qualification matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (Home matches from Bolivia)
Fanatiz English and Spanish-language rights; CONMEBOL qualification matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (Home matches from Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) [170]
YouTube English-language rights; AFC third round qualification matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
FIFA+ English-language rights; CAF qualification matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup[171]
FIFA+ English-language rights; OFC qualification matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Fox Sports English-language rights; Inter-confederation play-off matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
FIFA Club World Cup DAZN English and Spanish-language rights for the 2025 tournament[172]
FIFA Women's World Cup finals
(History)		 Netflix English and Spanish-language rights through 2031[173]
FIFA Women's World Cup qualification CBS Sports English-language rights; UEFA qualification matches
CBS Sports English-language rights; CONCACAF qualification matches
Univision Spanish-language rights; CONCACAF qualification matches
Fox Sports English-language rights; CONMEBOL qualification matches
Univision Spanish-language rights; CONMEBOL qualification matches
CBS Sports English-language rights; AFC qualification matches
YouTube English-language rights; CAF qualification matches
Eleven Sports English-language rights; OFC qualification matches
FIFA+ English-language rights; Inter-confederation play-off matches
UEFA European Championship
(History)		 Fox Sports, FuboTV English-language rights through Euro 2028, includes qualifiers and finals
Univision Spanish-language rights through Euro 2028, includes qualifiers and finals[168]
UEFA Nations League Fox Sports, FuboTV English-language rights through 2028
Univision Spanish-language rights through 2028[168]
UEFA Champions League
(History)		 CBS Sports English-language rights through 2030, including select qualification matches
Univision Spanish-language rights through 2027
UEFA Europa League CBS Sports English-language rights through 2030, including select qualification matches
Univision Spanish-language rights through 2027
UEFA Conference League CBS Sports English-language rights through 2030, including select qualification matches
Univision Spanish-language rights through 2027
UEFA Super Cup CBS Sports English-language rights through 2024
Univision Spanish-language rights through 2024
UEFA Women's Champions League DAZN English-language rights through 2025
YouTube English-language rights through 2023; 61 live matches for free of charge via DAZN UEFA Women's Champions League channel.
CONMEBOL Copa América
(History)		 Fox Sports English-language rights through 2024
Univision Spanish-language rights through 2024
Copa Libertadores beIN Sports English and Spanish-language rights through 2026
Copa Sudamericana
Recopa Sudamericana
Copa Libertadores Femenina
CONCACAF Gold Cup Fox Sports English-language rights through 2023
Univision Spanish-language rights through 2025[174]
CONCACAF Nations League CBS Sports (CBS, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+) English-language rights (except for USMNT matches outside final four)
TNT Sports (TNT, TBS, Max) English-language rights (USMNT matches, except final four)
TelevisaUnivision (Univision, TUDN, Vix) Spanish-language rights (except for USMNT matches outside final four)
Telemundo Deportes (Telemundo, Universo, TeleXitos, Peacock) Spanish-language rights (USMNT matches, except final four)
CONCACAF Champions Cup Fox Sports English-language rights
Univision Spanish-language rights through 2025
CONCACAF W Champions Cup CBS Sports English-language rights
ESPN Deportes Spanish-language rights
AFC Asian Cup CBS Sports English-language rights
AFC Champions League Elite
AFC Champions League Two YouTube
AFC Women's Champions League
Africa Cup of Nations beIN Sports English and Spanish-language rights, includes qualifiers and finals
CAF Champions League
CAF Confederation Cup
CAF Super Cup
CAF Women's Champions League
OFC Nations Cup FIFA+ English-language rights
OFC Champions League FIFA+ English-language rights
Close
Other international competitions/tournaments
National teams

National competitions

More information Event, Country ...
Broadcasting contracts for national soccer competitions
Event Country Broadcaster Broadcast Details
Major League Soccer
(History)		 United StatesCanada Apple TV+, MLS Season Pass Until 2032: all Regular Season matches, MLS All-Star Game, all MLS Cup playoff matches and MLS Cup.
Fox Sports Until 2026: 34 regular season matches (15 on Fox), 8 MLS cup playoff matches, and MLS Cup.
U.S. Open Cup United States TNT Sports English language rights until 2030; select games on Bleacher Report YouTube; four QF's, both SFs, and a final sub-licensed to Apple TV+ via MLS Season Pass. Games not picked up by Warner Bros. are distributed by teams involved.[180][181][182]
USL Championship United States ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+ English-language rights
CBS Sports/Paramount+ English-language rights on CBS, CBS Sports Network, CBS Sports Golazo Network, and Paramount+ through 2027[183]
USL League One United States ESPN+ English-language rights
CBS Sports/Paramount+ English-language rights through 2027. Selected matches on CBS Sports Network, CBS Sports Golazo Network, and Paramount+[183]
National Independent Soccer Association United States Eleven Sports
MLS Next Pro United StatesCanada MLSNextPro.com Selected matches and also streams on YouTube
MLS Season Pass Selected matches through 2032
USL League Two United States Eleven Sports
National Premier Soccer League United States Eleven Sports
United Premier Soccer League United States Eleven Sports
National Women's Soccer League
(History)		 United States CBS Sports/Paramount+ English-language rights on CBS, CBS Sports Network, CBS Sports Golazo Network, and Paramount+ through 2027.[184]
ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+ English-language rights through 2027[184]
Prime Video English-language rights through 2027[184]
Scripps Sports (Ion Television) English-language rights through 2027[184]
Women's Open United States Eleven Sports
USL Super League United States Eleven Sports
Women's Independent Soccer League United States Eleven Sports
USL W League United States Eleven Sports
Women's Premier Soccer League United States Eleven Sports
United Women's Soccer United States Eleven Sports
College Cup United States ESPNU, ESPN+
Women's College Cup United States ESPNU, ESPN+
MLS Next United StatesCanada Eleven Sports
Apple TV+ Selected matches from 2023 to 2032
MLS Next Cup YouTube
USL Academy United States Eleven Sports
Major Arena Soccer League United States Twitch English-language rights[185]
Major League Futsal United States Facebook English-language rights
Canadian Premier League Canada OneSoccer English-language rights, all matches
Fox Sports English-language rights, select matches only
Canadian Championship Canada OneSoccer English-language rights
Fox Sports English-language rights
League1 Canada Canada OneSoccer English-language rights[186]
Northern Super League Canada TBA English-language rights
Liga MX Mexico Fox Sports Rights to home matches from Juarez, Monterrey, Santos Laguna and Tijuana.
ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes Spanish-language rights to home matches from Monterrey, Santos Laguana and Tijuana.
TUDN, Univision, ViX, TUDNxtra Rights to home matches from America, Atlas, Atletico San Luis, Leon, Mazatlan, Necaxa, Pachuca, Puebla, Querétaro, Toluca, UANL, and UNAM
Telemundo, Universo, Peacock Rights to home matches from Guadalajara
Copa MX Mexico Fox Sports English-language
ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes, Univision Spanish-language
Campeón de Campeones Mexico Univision Spanish-language
Supercopa MX Mexico Univision Spanish-language
Liga de Expansión MX Mexico TUDN Spanish-language
Liga MX Femenil Mexico TUDN Spanish-language
Leagues Cup MexicoUnited StatesCanada MLS Season Pass English-language rights from 2023 to 2032[187]
Fox Sports English-language rights from 2023 to 2026: ten group stage matches, four round of 32 matches and two round of 16 matches.
Univision Spanish-language rights from 2023 to 2026: twelve group stage matches, eight knockout round matches, Leagues Cup Final.[187]
Campeones Cup MexicoUnited StatesCanada MLS Season Pass English-language rights from 2023 to 2032
Univision Spanish-language rights
Europe's Big Five
Event Country Broadcaster Broadcast Details
Premier League
(History)		 England NBC Sports, Peacock English-language rights until 2028
Telemundo Deportes Spanish-language rights until 2028
EFL Leagues CBS/Paramount+ English-language rights through 2028; all play-off matches, minimum of 155 Championship matches and 38 League One/League Two matches
EFL Cup English-language rights through 2028; minimum of 30 matches per year
EFL Trophy English-language rights through 2028 to three matches per year
FA Cup ESPN+ English and Spanish-language rights until 2027–28
FA Community Shield English and Spanish-language rights until 2027
FA Women's Super League English and Spanish-language rights
Women's FA Cup English and Spanish-language rights
Women's FA Community Shield English and Spanish-language rights
FA Youth Cup English and Spanish-language rights
La Liga Spain ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+ English-language rights until 2029
ESPN Deportes Spanish-language rights until 2029
Segunda División ESPN+ English and Spanish-language rights until 2029
Copa del Rey ESPN+ English and Spanish-language rights until 2027[188]
Supercopa de España ABC, ESPN2 English-language rights until 2027
ESPN Deportes Spanish-language rights until 2027
Liga F DAZN English-language rights
Bundesliga Germany ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+ English and Spanish-language rights until 2026
2. Bundesliga
DFB-Pokal
DFL-Supercup
Frauen-Bundesliga DAZN English-language rights
Serie A Italy CBS Sports/Paramount+ English-language rights until 2026
Coppa Italia CBS Sports/Paramount+ English-language rights until 2026
Supercoppa Italiana
Serie A Femminile DAZN English-language rights[189]
Ligue 1 France beIN Sports English and Spanish-language rights until 2025[190]
Ligue 2
Trophée des Champions
Coupe de France Fox Sports English and Spanish-language rights until 2026 [191]
Division 1 Féminine DAZN English language rights
Close

Other national competitions

Swimming

NBC Sports has rights to the following events with coverage varying on NBC and USA Network

Tennis

Summarize
Perspective

Australian Open

  • ESPN has the contract through 2031. Coverage is aired on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+ and ESPN3

French Open

  • TNT Sports through 2034.[194] Coverage is aired on TNT, TBS, truTV, and Max.

The Championships, Wimbledon

  • ESPN[195][196] has the contract through 2035. ABC airs live matches during the middle weekend beginning in 2022. Tennis Channel has rights to daily highlights through 2036[197] also provides coverage. Coverage is as follows:
    • Qualifying: ESPN+
    • Days 1–6: ESPN, ESPN+, and ESPN3
    • Day 7: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, and ESPN3
    • Days 8 and 9: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+ and ESPN3
    • Days 10–13 including the ladies' and gentlemen's singles finals: ESPN, ESPN+ and ESPN3
    • Same-day replays are aired on Tennis Channel throughout the tournament through 2023. Live matches of the middle weekend air on ABC beginning in 2022. Same-day replays of the ladies' and gentlemen's singles finals are aired on ABC.

U.S. Open

  • ESPN has the contract through 2037. Tennis Channel also provides coverage. Coverage is as follows:
    • Arthur Ashe Kids' Day: ABC
    • Days 1–5: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, and ESPN+
    • Days 6–8: ESPN2, ESPN3, and ESPN+
    • Days 9–10: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, and ESPN+
    • Day 11: women's singles semifinals: ESPN
    • Day 12: mixed doubles final: ESPN2, men's singles semifinals: ESPN
    • Day 13: men's doubles final: ESPN3, women's singles final: ESPN
    • Day 14: women's doubles final: ESPN3, men's singles final: ESPN
    • A daily preview show, same-day highlights and a daily wrap-up show are aired on Tennis Channel throughout the tournament.[198]

ATP Finals

  • Tennis Channel

ATP Tour Masters 1000

  • Tennis Channel

ATP Tour 500

  • Tennis Channel

ATP Tour 250

  • Tennis Channel

WTA Finals

WTA 1000 tournaments

  • Tennis Channel

WTA 500 tournaments

  • Tennis Channel

WTA 250 tournaments

  • Tennis Channel

Davis Cup

  • Tennis Channel

Billie Jean King Cup

  • Tennis Channel

US Open Series

  • Tennis Channel

Laver Cup

  • Tennis Channel

World TeamTennis

  • ESPN2 (final only) and ESPN3

Tie Break Tens

  • ESPN3

Track and field (athletics)

NBCUniversal holds rights to the following:[200][201]

Winter sports

Miscellaneous

References

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