| Good morning! It’s Tuesday, and this is your monthly Cynopsis Sports newsletter. While summer may be coming to an imminent close, football season is kicking off across all levels. One area that continues to evolve is how fans are able to tune in and cheer for their favorite teams. |
 ESPN’S NEW ERA |
 After years of speculation, anticipation and excitement, ESPN became available direct-to-consumer as the sports giant unveiled the offering in tandem with an updated app experience. ESPN’s portfolio of 12 networks and services, as well as ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+ and ACCNX, can be purchased for $29.99 per month or $299.99 per year. That should deliver subscribers more than 47,000 live events each year, with the option to watch on-demand replays, original programming like “30 for 30” documentaries and more.
ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro has long maintained that the network isn’t looking to leave those still within the Pay TV bundle behind. Instead, he and Disney CEO Bob Iger are taking an agnostic approach to linear and digital TV, which helps shape how they assess the success of ESPN’s DTC venture.
One way ESPN is looking to balance both sides of the equation is by allowing Pay TV customers to authenticate via their (v)MVPD and access DTC. At launch, subscribers of Spectrum TV, DirecTV Streaming, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV get ESPN’s Unlimited Plan as part of their package. More providers of all sizes are expected to get authentication abilities in the near future, but in the meantime, users of Xfinity, YouTube TV, DISH or Sling will have to wait.
“We’re going to judge ourselves based on the totality of people subscribing to ESPN. That includes subscribers to the traditional ecosystem. So, pay television, a digital MVPD, we’re looking holistically. We still believe that there’s a lot of value in that traditional ecosystem where you get so much sports content,” Pitaro said during an appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” alongside Iger. “Another thing that we’ve seen from our research is that sports fans, especially younger fans, they’re OK with multiple apps. They’re okay putting together their own bundles, if you will. And we’re going to be providing the sports fan with several different options.”
Bundles are becoming an integral part of companies’ distribution strategies, hence why ESPN already has a few to offer. Folks can get ESPN DTC Unlimited along with Disney+ and Hulu for $29.99 per month for the first year. There’s also the ESPN-Fox One bundle that’ll become available Oct. 2 for $39.99 per month, as well as an ESPN-NFL+ Premium deal that comes with NFL RedZone for the same $39.99 rate starting Sept. 3.
Speaking of the NFL, it was quite firmly at the forefront of ESPN’s DTC launch. Just weeks before the debut, ESPN and the league announced an agreement that’ll see the NFL acquire a 10% equity stake in the network in exchange for NFL Network, NFL RedZone, NFL Fantasy and other media assets. The two have a second pact for the NFL to license certain content and other intellectual property to ESPN.
Under the deal, NFL Network will become owned and operated by ESPN and implemented into ESPN DTC—in addition to continued distribution via linear TV. ESPN will get the overall rights to RedZone and can even extend that format to different competitions. Game-wise, ESPN said its platforms will license an additional three NFL games per season on NFL Network. Four games will shift to NFL Network, which will now broadcast a total of seven games per season. NFL will remain the owner of properties like NFL Films, NFL+, NFL.com and the NFL FAST channel.
“When you look at the content that we’re able to license, thanks to this partnership, we believe that this is a big and important step in terms of obviously our migration into the direct-to-consumer space,” Iger said. “If you look at what the NFL offers as a network and the ability to integrate that programming with ESPN, for instance, we think that that will greatly enhance the value of the very app that we’re talking about today.”
ESPN didn’t stop at the NFL. A surprise announcement accompanied the NFL hubbub, with ESPN becoming the new U.S. home of all of WWE’s Premium Live Events (PLEs) starting next year. ESPN DTC will stream all WWE PLEs annually and have select events simulcast on linear networks. That includes “WrestleMania,” “SummerSlam” and “Royal Rumble.”
To help with the WWE and DTC promotion, ESPN introduced a campaign with John Cena at the center of the spotlight (if you can see him, that is). The integrated marketing blueprint will include physical activations and brand collaborations, including partnerships with companies like Lyft and Complex. |
| NEW ERAS IN THE AIR |
| Shortly after completing its long-awaited merger with Skydance, Paramount and UFC revealed a seven-year media rights deal beginning in 2026. Paramount will be the exclusive rights holder for UFC’s 13 marquee events and 30 fight nights, streaming those via Paramount+ with select being simulcast on CBS.
The deal’s average annual value is approximately $1.1 billion. While it’s a move away from UFC’s soon-to-be former home ESPN, it’s also a pivot out of the organization’s existing pay-per-view model. Fans will only need a subscription to Paramount+ to access UFC programming.
“Live sports continue to be a cornerstone of our broader strategy—driving engagement, subscriber growth and long-term loyalty, and the addition of UFC’s year-round must-watch events to our platforms is a major win,” Paramount Chairman/CEO David Ellison said. “We look forward to delivering this premium content to millions of fans in the U.S., and potentially beyond.”
On the same day ESPN launched its direct-to-consumer product, Fox—at long last—entered the DTC game. Fox One, a streaming service that combines Fox’s news, sports and entertainment portfolios, became available for $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year after a seven-day trial (with an option to add B1G+ or bundle Fox Nation).
A Fox One subscription grants folks access to Fox News, Fox Business, Fox Sports (including FS1, FS2, Fox Deportes and Big Ten Network) and local Fox stations. Unlike other SVODs, Fox has said it’s not investing in original content specifically for Fox One, instead using it as a tool to reach those outside of the cable bundle and promote its content that originates elsewhere.
“In bringing together the full power of the Fox content portfolio in one service, we have created a great value proposition and user experience that will appeal to the cord-cutter and cord-never fans currently not served by conventional pay TV packages,” said Pete Distad, Fox’s CEO, Direct to Consumer. It’s worth noting that Distad was the CEO of Venu Sports, the once proposed joint venture between Fox, ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery. Fox is using some of the technology previously developed for Venu for its current Fox One operations. |
| MLB RUMOR MILL |
| MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred wanted to find a replacement for ESPN by this season’s All-Star break. We’re well beyond the Midsummer Classic, but a myriad of reports indicate the league may be close to shoring up its media rights outlook for the next few years.
Recall, ESPN and MLB mutually agreed to opt out of a media rights deal back in February, with the former citing declining ratings and the latter frustrated with an apparent lack of coverage (not to mention the ongoing decline of the cable TV base). The two appear to be ready to reconcile—while ESPN is set to exit “Sunday Night Baseball,” it’ll get a new midweek package of around 30 regular-season games, per The Athletic. ESPN would also obtain the ability to license the league’s out-of-market product MLB.TV, in addition to the in-market rights to the Diamondbacks, Guardians, Padres, Rockies and Twins.
Who’ll step up to the Sunday Night Baseball plate? NBC and Peacock, apparently, with them getting Wild Card games as well. Last but certainly not least is the Home Run Derby moving to Netflix’s purview.
Of course, all deals are subject to change until the ink is dry, and a lot can change until that’s done. But MLB appears ready to move forward until 2028 when Manfred can solidify a long-term distribution plan. |
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| PARTNER UP |
| The NFL named Abercrombie & Fitch its official fashion partner. It’s a multi-year collab that expands on an original partnership started in 2022. Abercrombie will activate across NFL tentpole events like NFL international games and within retail stores. It’ll also launch the Abercrombie Style Concierge, a service that curates outfitting for NFL athletes, and will roll out a national campaign featuring players like Christian McCaffrey, Tee Higgins and CeeDee Lamb.
The league said the partnership showcases its “ongoing efforts to grow its fan base, especially with female fans. With women making up to close to half of the league’s fans, fashion and sports are intersecting in new ways to provide them with options to showcase their fandom authentically on game day.” From Abercrombie & Fitch’s perspective, it’s about blending the convergence of fandom and fashion. “This NFL partnership goes beyond licensing. It is about meeting the needs of an expanding audience. Together, the NFL and Abercrombie are helping to build fandom through fashion,” said the company’s CEO Fran Horowitz.
Yahoo Sports, in partnership with C15 Studio, has launched Yahoo Sports Network, a FAST channel available on leading services and at yahoosports.tv. The network delivers more than 60 hours of original weekly programming, including live shows such as “The Ariel Helwani Show,” “Yahoo Sports Daily,” “Inside Coverage” and “Yahoo Fantasy Forecast,” alongside recorded hits like “The Kevin O’Connor Show” and “Football 301.” The launch expands Yahoo Sports’ digital footprint, giving fans 24/7 access to NFL, NBA, MLB, combat sports, college football and more, while providing new advertising opportunities through commercial breaks. Yahoo Sports Network is available on LG Channels and Sling Freestream, with upcoming launches on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Fire TV, Fubo, Plex, Prime Video and Roku.
LIV Golf has named Fever as its official global ticketing and demand-generation partner ahead of the 2026 season. Fever will power ticketing for all 14 international LIV Golf events and serve as an official partner of Fireballs GC, the team captained by Sergio Garcia, with the Fever logo featured on player kits. The multi-year collaboration leverages Fever’s platform to enhance fan engagement, streamline ticket purchasing and deliver immersive experiences worldwide.
AEG and American Express expanded their global partnership, now spanning five key verticals: venues, festivals, touring, ticketing and sports. Amex remains AEG’s official payment partner across more than 40 marquee assets worldwide, including Crypto.com Arena, Dignity Health Sports Park, The O2 and Uber Arena, and continues supporting AEG sports teams LA Galaxy and LA Kings. Card Members gain exclusive access to AEG Presents tours, top-tier festivals like Coachella and BST Hyde Park, signature lounges and premium perks through the American Express Venue Collection. |
| (OTHER) MEDIA RIGHTS MAYHEM |
| Peacock and WWE agreed to a multi-year deal to exclusively stream “Saturday Night’s Main Event” live beginning this fall. The primetime series will air four times annually on Peacock, showcasing WWE’s top Superstars, rivalries and championship matches. This year, Peacock will stream events on Nov. 1 and Dec. 13, the latter featuring John Cena’s retirement match. The WWE Network library will remain on Peacock through 2025, while NXT Premium Live Events are available until March 2026. SmackDown continues on USA Network live Fridays, with the library on Peacock after a 30-day delay.
Elsewhere, Peacock will exclusively stream 20 Big 12 men’s basketball games each season beginning this fall as part of a multi-year deal. The slate will feature conference and non-conference matchups. The Big 12 partnership adds to Peacock’s expansive live sports lineup, which includes NBA (2025-26), WNBA (2026), Sunday Night Football, the Olympics, Premier League and men’s World Cup (Spanish language).
Fubo subsidiary Molotov has struck a non-exclusive carriage agreement with Ligue 1+ for the 2025–26 season. Subscribers will get eight of nine matches live each gameday, with the remaining contest available on delay, plus access to analysis, documentaries, replays and club-specific programming. The deal strengthens Molotov’s sports lineup alongside its core entertainment offering and existing carriage of events like the Coupe de France and FIFA World Cup 2026 through TF1, M6 and France TV.
Fubo’s got more. Fubo and DAZN have expanded their partnership to Canada in a multi-year deal that brings each company’s content to the other’s platform. DAZN customers will be able to bundle Fubo Sports Network with their subscription, while Fubo subscribers gain access to DAZN’s slate of rights, including NFL, UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga and top boxing events. The agreement also adds DAZN Ringside, a 24/7 boxing channel, to Fubo’s Canadian packages at no extra cost. |
| BY THE NUMBERS |
| The UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 hosted in Switzerland set new expectations across certain metrics. According to GlobalData’s “Post Event Analysis—UEFA Women’s European Championships 2025,” broadcast revenue was an estimated $99.54 million, a 142% jump from Euro 2022’s $41.03 million. Total sponsorship revenue came in at $44 million across 20 partners, up 144% from the 2022 tournament. This year’s running was the most-attended women’s European Championship as well with 657,291 fans. Tickets and hospitality rose by 40% ($5.3 million) to $17.2 million. That’s a 5X improvement from the $3.2 million generated in Euro 2017.
YES Network is enjoying another Yankees playoff push. Through Aug. 20, the RSN’s total viewership for Yankees games is up 5% YOY to 291,628, per Nielsen. Around 49% of games have averaged more than 300,000 total viewers, and viewership on the Gotham Sports app is up 84% YOY. |
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| WHAT TO WATCH FOR |
| Sportscaster Rich Eisen anchored “SportsCenter” on Aug. 18 for the first time in over 20 years, ahead of the Sept. 2 launch of “The Rich Eisen Show” on Disney and ESPN platforms. Eisen, returning to ESPN after his 1996–2003 tenure, will make select appearances across studio programming while maintaining his role at NFL Network.
Apple’s summer blockbuster “F1 The Movie” is now available on premium video on demand and for digital purchase via Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Brad Pitt and seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, the film has earned $600 million globally, making it the highest-grossing original feature of 2025. The release was accompanied by F1 The Album, which has sold over 650,000 albums worldwide and garnered more than a billion streams.
Ahead of his final “College GameDay” show, ESPN honored Lee Corso with a one-hour special “Not So Fast, My Friend: A Lee Corso Special.” It highlights Corso’s life, coaching career and subsequent stardom as a broadcaster. You can catch it on ESPN+.
ESPN signed sports and lifestyle creator Katie Feeney to produce content across its social and digital channels. Feeney, who has more than 14 million followers, will contribute daily to ESPN Social, lead a refreshed “SportsCenter” on Snapchat and create vertical short-form video for the ESPN app. She will also appear on NFL and college football studio shows, including “Sunday NFL Countdown,” “Monday Night Countdown” and “College GameDay.” |
| LISTEN TO THIS |
| WGN Radio sports anchor Dave Eanet will step away from his role on the Bob Sirott weekday morning drive show after more than 30 years across two stints at the station. Eanet will continue as the longtime voice of Northwestern football and men’s basketball on WGN and will serve as a fill-in on the WGN-TV sports desk. His successor, Andy Masur, assumes morning drive duties Aug. 28 while continuing his work as weekend anchor and host of the Hamp & O’B pre- and post-game shows. Eanet first joined WGN in 1984 and became synonymous with Northwestern football broadcasts starting in 1990. Masur, who also previously called Cubs and Padres games, returned to WGN in 2014 and handled White Sox radio from 2019–20. |
| ON THIS DAY |
| 1939: W2XBS, now known as NBC New York (WNBC), broadcast the first-ever MLB game on TV. The then-Brooklyn Dodgers took down the Reds by a score of 6-1. That same year saw the NBC flagship station reach other milestones, such as airing the first live telecast of a presidential speech, NFL game and college baseball event.
1955: NBC aired the first color TV telecast of a tennis match in the U.S. (Davis Cup). That came nearly 12 years before the U.K. saw its first broadcast in color, with the 1967 Wimbledon Tennis Championships being shown in color on BBC Two.
1971: Bobby Orr signed the first million-dollar contract in NHL history, penning a five-year deal with the Boston Bruins.
2012: Lydia Ko became the youngest-ever winner of an LPGA Tour event. She was 15 years and four months old at the time she won the Canadian Women’s Open, becoming the fifth amateur to win an LPGA Tour competition and the first since 1969. Ko, who currently boasts 31 professional wins, became the only amateur to win two LPGA tournaments when she defended her Canadian Women’s Open crown in 2013.
2017: Manchester City defeated Bournemouth 2-1 thanks to a late winner from Raheem Sterling. It was the beginning of a Premier League record 18-match winning streak, though Liverpool replicated the feat two seasons later.
2024: Danny Jansen became the first MLB player to play for both teams in a single game. Jansen was a member of the Blue Jays when they faced the Red Sox back in June 2024. The game was suspended due to rain and rescheduled for Aug. 26. However, Jansen had been traded to Boston in the two months between then, and stepped in as the Red Sox’s catcher when play resumed. He finished the game 1-for-4 with a single. |
DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES AND ADMINISTRATION >>
THE JIM HENSON COMPANY/HOLLYWOOD, CA: Responsible for all HR functions and oversight of administrative and management needs. This strategic role is charged with operating from a customer service driven viewpoint that prioritizes employee satisfaction as well as enforce legally compliant policies, increase efficiency by implementing administrative and record-keeping best practices. Full info HERE
RIGHTS AND CLEARANCE SPECIALIST (FREELANCE) >>
HEARST MEDIA PRODUCTION GROUP/GLENDALE, CA: Spearhead rights management for all contracts, including but not limited to network, distribution, acquisitions, production partner, sponsorship, and talent agreements, maintaining a system that streamlines the process of identifying terms, rights, avails, participations, holdbacks, and territories. Input rights information into our software. Full info HERE
SENIOR DESIGNER >>
REELZ CHANNEL/ALBUQUERQUE, NM: Responsible for the concept, design and execution of various motion graphics projects for on-air promo and sales presentations. Will be required to design and create graphics for social media, digital and print. Must be able to follow brand guidelines and expand and change the brand look when necessary. Full info HERE
EVP, COMMERCIAL & TECHNOLOGY TRANSACTIONS, LEGAL & BUSINESS AFFAIRS >>
A+E GLOBAL MEDIA/NY(HYBRID): Oversee the three major areas of commercial transactions (comprised of supporting the Distribution, Total Media Solutions and Global Content Sales divisions) and the adjacent areas supported by the attorney teams that principally support those divisions (including vendor management and privacy). Full info HERE
SR. DIRECTOR OF SALES, KSTU & KUPX >>
THE E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY/SALT LAKE CITY: Leverage our suite of advertising solutions to unlock growth opportunities for local and national businesses. Play a role in driving the station’s revenue goals as well as serving as the home station for Utah’s new NHL team. Collaborate with our production team to create campaigns that connect our clients with their customers in meaningful ways. Full info HERE
DIGITAL MEDIA BUYER >>
FURMAN ROTH ADVERTISING/NY(HYBRID): Plan, launch, and optimize digital marketing campaigns across various paid media channels (including Display, Google products, Paid Social, CTV, and Programmatic, etc.) while managing budgets effectively. Support the execution of media plans across platforms, overseeing targeting, budget allocation, and performance tracking to drive campaign success. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR; CTV BRAND PARTNERSHIPS – MID WEST/WEST COAST
FUTURE TODAY
REMOTE
Build, maintain and expand a pipeline of sales targets, contacts, and sales opportunities leveraging your relationships with a heavy focus on new business revenue. Build/nurture relationships with the investment, strategy, precision and digital agencies as well as clients. Also maintain an ongoing knowledge of the streaming media landscape. Full info HERE
DIRECTOR, AD MARKETING & SALES >>
THE SHADE ROOM/REMOTE: Develop and execute a revenue growth strategy to drive direct advertising, branded content, and sponsorship sales as well as lead the development of compelling advertising and branded content offerings tailored for TSR’s audience and cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key advertisers, media agencies, and brand partners. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE DIRECT RESPONSE >>
OPPORTUNITY MEDIA/NY(REMOTE/HYBRID): Seeking an energetic achiever with excellent written & organizational skills for role to assist in growing revenue for dynamic Direct Response Team: required: BA Degree, Min 5 yrs DR Experience. Wide Orbit Exp a +. Full info HERE
PROFESSIONAL LECTURER OF COMMUNICATION/SPORTS BROADCASTING >>
MARIST UNIVERSITY/ POUGHKEEPSIE, NY: Teach studio and field broadcasting and new media courses in sports media and journalism as well as be able to teach a studio course on producing a newscast and help students live stream a podcast or produce short-form feature content suitable for social media streaming. Also demonstrate through their teaching, professional activity, and service. Full info HERE
SALES LEAD – AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS
UPWAVE
NEW YORK, NY
Build and manage relationships with our agency partners – mostly targeting media buyers and planners – and help them see the value of adding Upwave measurement to The Trade Desk campaigns. You will both leverage your existing network and open new doors to achieve aggressive but achievable sales targets. Full info HERE |
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