The rush to anoint the ESPN–NFL Media deal an instant game-changer is premature. Because it’s not official yet.
Yes, the agreement is a massive, transformational shift for the entire sports media landscape. But it’s not a shift that’s happening right now. The ink on the deal is barely dry, and the regulatory approvals are still months — possibly a year or more — away. We’re looking at 2026 before any operational changes are even expected to kick in.
The biggest public freakout, naturally, centered on NFL RedZone and its beloved host, Scott Hanson. And as we’ve noted, everyone can breathe a collective sigh of relief. ESPN now owns the brand and the linear distribution rights, but the NFL is still producing the show. That means Hanson is staying put, the format isn’t changing, and the channel will continue to whip around the Sunday slate of games exactly as it always has.
Just because those are the facts doesn’t mean the average football fan is aware of them. Hanson, clearly seeing the panic, went on The Rich Eisen Show to lay out the reality that this deal might not even take effect next season, either.
“First of all, the Disney-ESPN-NFL Media still requires approval. So, let me put it very simply: it’s not going to be official this football season,” Hanson said. “I’m hearing anywhere from a year to maybe even two years from right now is when it’ll be official. It’s got to go through different regulatory processes and whatnot. So, nothing’s going to change this year.”
🗣️ @ScottHanson
With the impending sale to ESPN, what is the future of NFL RedZone? And what’s the deal with those commercials last year?#NFL @TomPelissero pic.twitter.com/EkTb2qy4aL
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) August 11, 2025
This is the part that seems to be getting lost in translation. The deal isn’t even done yet. It still needs to clear several major regulatory hurdles, including a review by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The NFL has already started the lobbying process, reaching out to roughly 30 congressional offices to sell the deal as a boon for “greater consumer choice,” according to Reuters.
This scrutiny is part of a broader antitrust examination by the DOJ’s Antitrust Division. They’re already digging into a related deal, as Disney’s acquisition of a controlling stake in the sports streaming service Fubo TV. That inquiry, which kicked off in March, is aimed squarely at assessing whether such deals risk concentrating too much control over sports streaming in the hands of a few companies.
Expect antitrust clearance to take 12 months or longer. So if you’re waiting for this deal to shake up your Sunday routine, you might be waiting a while.