ESPN and the NFL announced a deal Tuesday, granting ESPN the league’s media assets, including NFL Network. The NFL will retain a 10% ownership share of the network.
The Walt Disney Company is reportedly backing away from plans to spin off ESPN, shelving years of speculation that a standalone sports network could help offset the company’s declining cable business.
The decision marks one of the first major calls under CEO Josh D’Amaro, who stepped into the role in March.
“Instead, the sports network will stay inside the media giant, which thinks its presence will help its pivot to streaming,” sources said, according to Business Insider.
However, the decision is not permanent, the outlet noted. While Josh D’Amaro reportedly indicated that he does not see a near-term path to a spinoff, he could revisit the option down the line as conditions evolve, according to Business Insider.
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A 3D printed Disney logo in front of the ESPN+ logo July 13, 2021. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo / Reuters)
In addition, Disney could still explore bringing in strategic partners to take minority stakes, similar to its sale of a 10% stake in ESPN to the NFL last year.
The decision effectively cools down long-running rumors of ESPN potentially spinning off, which first gained traction after former CEO Bob Iger stunned the media industry in 2015 by revealing that the once profit-generating colossus was losing subscribers.
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As viewers have grown more selective with their spending in recent years, the cord-cutting wave has accelerated across the cable industry, raising concerns that the declining business was weighing on Disney’s overall valuation.
By remaining under Disney, sources say the current structure could better position ESPN to accelerate its pivot to streaming, Business Insider reported.
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Josh D’Amaro, chairperson of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, speaks during an event on Nov. 9, 2024, in São Paulo, Brazil. (Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images for Disney / Getty Images)
Around August 2025, ESPN became available outside the traditional cable bundle for the first time, marking a major shift for sports fans who previously had to pay for costly packages that included channels they did not want.
Based on the new decision, Disney will continue distributing ESPN across multiple platforms, including its traditional cable bundle starting at roughly $75 per month, a streaming package alongside Hulu and Disney+ starting at $35.99 per month and a standalone direct-to-consumer offering $299.99 per year.
Fans cheer at an ESPN broadcast ahead of the Super Bowl Feb. 7, 2025, in New Orleans. (David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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Disney’s sports segment, anchored by ESPN, generated roughly $17.7 billion last year in revenue, roughly 19% of Disney’s total company revenue of $94.4 billion.
FOX Business reached out to Disney for more information.
