Sports broadcasting contracts in the United States

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

n the United States, sports are televised on various broadcast networks, national and specialty sports cable channels, and regional sports networks. American sports rights are estimated to be worth a total of $22.42 billion in 2019, about 44% of the total worldwide sports media market.[1] American 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

National Football League

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.[6] This increased to about $110 billion to air games from 2023 to 2033.[6] The NFL thus holds broadcast contracts with four companies (Paramount Skydance, 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).[12]

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.[13]

Television

More information Package, Rightsholder ...
PackageRightsholderExtent of coverageCurrent contract term
AFCCBS
2023–2033[14][15][16][17][18][19][20]
NFCFox
Sunday Night FootballNBC
  • Sunday primetime game during regular season
  • Kickoff Game
  • Thanksgiving Day game in primetime
  • One extra regular season game exclusively on Peacock from 2023–28
  • A late-season Saturday game in 2026
  • 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 Football/NFLN GamesESPN/ABC
  • Monday primetime games during regular season
  • Season’s final week Saturday doubleheader simulcast on ABC
  • One wild card game simulcast on ABC
  • One divisional playoff game simulcast on ABC
  • Pro Bowl Games
  • Part of Super Bowl rights rotation shown on ABC/ESPN
  • Full, three-day draft coverage
  • Option to air games with supplemental feeds on other ESPN/Disney networks.
NFL Network
  • 5 European games
  • 2 late-season Saturday games
  • Full, three-day draft coverage
2022–2033[18]
Close

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[18]
NFL on NetflixNetflix
  • A week 1 game
  • Thanksgiving Eve game
  • 1 or 2 games on Christmas day
  • A week 18 Saturday game
2024–2029[21]
NFL Sunday TicketYouTube TV
  • Out-of-market Sunday regional games
2023–2029[22]
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–????[23]
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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.[24][25]

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.

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

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.[26] The television broadcast rights to all six CFP bowls and the National Championship are owned by ESPN through at least the 2025 season.[27] 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.[28]

Regular-season

More information Conference/Team, Rightsholder ...
Conference/TeamRightsholderExtent of coverageCurrent contract term
American Conference ABC/ESPN
  • At least 40 games on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU (additional games on ESPN+)
  • At least 20 games from above on ABC, ESPN2 and ESPNU
  • All Navy home games vs. Notre Dame, plus one additional game
  • Championship Game on ABC
2020–2031[29]
CBS
  • Most Navy home games, including all against Air Force
2018–2027[30]
2023–2028[31][32]
2024–2038[33]
Atlantic Coast Conference ABC/ESPN
2019–2035[34][35]
CW
(via Raycom Sports)
  • 13 games
2023–2026[36]
Big 12 Conference ABC/ESPN
2025–2030[37]
Fox Sports
  • 35 games
2025–2030[37]
TNT Sports
(via ESPN)
  • 13 games
2025–2030[38]
Big Ten Conference Fox Sports
2023–2029[39]
CBS
  • 14–15 games on CBS, including one on Black Friday
  • Championship Game in 2024 and 2028
2023–2029[39]
NBC
2023–2029[39]
Big Ten Network
  • Maximum of 50 games
2023–2029[39]
Conference USA CBS
2023–2027[40]
ESPN
  • 8 midweek October games on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU
  • Remaining games on ESPN3 and/or ESPN+
2023–2027[40]
Mid-American Conference ESPN
2014–2026[41]
CBS
(via ESPN)
  • 10 games on CBSSN
[42][43]
Mountain West Conference CBS
2026–2031[44]
Fox Sports
CW
2026–2030[44]
MW+
  • 21 games
2026–[44]
Pac-12 Conference
CBS
2026–2030[45][46]
CW
USA Network
  • 22 games
Southeastern Conference ABC/ESPN
2024–2033[47]
Sun Belt Conference ESPN
2020–2030[48][49]
Notre Dame NBC
  • All home games
  • Select games on Peacock
2024–2029[50]
UConn CBS Sports Network
  • Most home games
2020–2027[51][52]
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Postseason

Radio

CFL

Since 2023, CBS Sports Network holds the television rights to 34 games from the CFL. All games are produced by TSN.[54] Games not picked up by CBSSN, including the Grey Cup, air for free on CFL+.[55]

Sirius XM Canada's radio broadcasts of the CFL are available in the United States.[56]

United Football League (UFL)

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.

In 2026, ABC/ESPN aired 22 games across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN app, and NFL Network, with the remaining games on Fox, FS1 and FS2.[57][58]

Other professional football leagues

Baseball

Major League Baseball

National 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.[68] 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.[69][70]

On September 19, 2012, Sports Business Daily[71][72] reported that Major League Baseball would agree to separate eight-year television deals[73] with Fox Sports and Turner Sports[74] 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.[75][76] 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.[77]

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".[78][79][80] 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.[81] 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.[82] 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.[83]

On November 19, 2025, Major League Baseball announced new 3-year rights deals with ESPN, NBC and Netflix.[84]

More information Rightsholder, Extent of coverage ...
Rightsholder Extent of coverage
Fox[85]
TNT Sports
NBC
ESPN/ABC
MLB Network
  • 26 non-exclusive MLB Network Showcase games
  • Remaining coverage of the draft
  • Spanish coverage of postseason games on TBS
  • Simulcasts of various regular season games with local broadcasters (not available in local markets)
Apple TV
Netflix
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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.[87]

Local television and radio

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.

Women's Pro Baseball League

Winter leagues

College Baseball

Postseason 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.

Minor League Baseball

All Minor League Baseball games air for free via the Bally Sports Live streaming service.[95] Select games, including the Triple-A National Championship Game, air on MLB Network.[96]

Other professional baseball leagues

Softball

Basketball

National Basketball Association

National television

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.[104]

More information Rightsholder, Extent of coverage ...
Rightsholder Extent of coverage
ESPN/ABC[105]
  • Approximately 20 regular-season games on ABC.
    • Consists primarily of prime time NBA Saturday and Sunday afternoon NBA Sunday Showcase games during the later half of the season.
  • Approximately 60 regular-season games on ESPN and the ESPN app.
    • Primarily on Wednesday nights, or other nights when the schedule permits (such as Friday nights, and an afternoon/evening doubleheader on the final Sunday of the regular season)
  • Rights to the Christmas Day games (simulcast between ABC and ESPN)[106]
  • Rights to the All-Star Celebrity Game
  • Rights to Draft and draft lottery
  • Up to 18 games across the first two rounds of the playoffs, and one conference final in 10 of 11 seasons.[107]
  • Exclusive coverage of the Finals on ABC, with alternate feeds available on the ESPN app.[108]
NBC Sports[109]
  • 100 regular season games
    • NBA Monday on Peacock and NBCSN.
    • Coast 2 Coast Tuesdays on NBC and Peacock.
    • Sunday Night Basketball on NBC and Peacock following the conclusion of the NFL season.
    • Rights to the opening night and Martin Luther King Jr. Day games
  • Rights to the All-Star Weekend (outside of the All-Star Celebrity Game)
  • Up to 28 games across the first two rounds of the playoffs, and one conference final in 6 of 11 seasons.
  • Rights to USA Basketball men's and women's national team games beginning in 2025
Prime Video[110]
  • 66 regular season games
    • Primarily on Friday nights, Thursday nights following the conclusion of the NFL regular season, and occasional Saturday games.
    • Exclusive rights to the NBA Cup knockout stage and final.
  • Exclusive rights to the Play-In Tournament, up to 28 games across the first two rounds of the playoffs, and one conference final in 6 of 11 seasons.
Close

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. As of the 2025–26 season, all playoff games are exclusive national games, and there are no longer regional broadcasts during the first round.[111]

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.[112] 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.[113][114] In July 2024, the WNBA, ESPN/ABC, NBC Sports, and Prime Video announced a new 11-season media deal that lasts until the end of the 2036 WNBA season.

More information Rightsholder, Extent of coverage ...
Rightsholder Extent of coverage
ESPN/ABC[115]
  • Minimum 25 regular-season games, primarily airing on Sundays and Tuesday nights on ESPN, and Weekend afternoons on ABC.
  • Rights to All-Star Game
  • Rights to Draft and draft lottery
  • Two first-round playoff series annually
  • Rights to a semifinals series in eight of 11 seasons
  • Finals exclusively for five out of 11 seasons (odd-numbered years)
NBC Sports[116]
  • 22 regular-season games aired across NBC/NBCSN, primarily on Sundays and Mondays with select Saturdays.
  • One first-round playoff series annually (shared with USA Network)
  • Rights to a semifinal series in 7 out of 11 seasons (shared with USA Network)
  • Finals (shared with USA Network) in 2026, 2030, & 2034, with all games airing on Peacock
Prime Video[117]
  • 30 regular-season games, primarily on Thursdays
  • Rights to the Commissioner's Cup Final
  • One first-round playoff series annually
  • Rights to a semifinal series in 7 out of 11 seasons
  • Finals in 2028, 2032, & 2036.
USA Sports[118]
  • 50 regular-season games primarily on Mondays and Wednesdays on USA Network and/or CNBC.
  • One first-round playoff series annually (shared with NBC)
  • Rights to a semifinal series in 7 out of 11 seasons (shared with NBC)
  • Rights to Finals (shared with NBC) in 2026, 2030, & 2034.
CBS
Ion
  • 50 regular-season games on Ion Television under the Friday Night Spotlight brand.
NBA TV
  • 15 regular-season games
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College basketball

Postseason

Regular season

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

FIBA

Other leagues

Boxing

Cricket

Curling

Cycling

Esports

Golf

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 signs year-to-year contracts only, but has consistently chosen CBS as its broadcast partner annually.[131][132]
Paramount+ (subscription streaming)Weekend round coverage (simulcast of CBS' coverage)2021–present
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.[133]
ESPN+ (subscription streaming)Live streams of Featured Groups, Featured Holes and Amen Corner during live play on all four days
Prime Video (subscription streaming)Thursday–Friday coverage from 1 to 3 p.m. EDT2026–???.
PGA ChampionshipCBS (free-to-air)Weekend round coverage2020–2030, aired since 1991.[134]
ESPN (subscription)
  • Early-round coverage
  • Weekend morning coverage
2020–2030.
ESPN succeeded TNT as cable rightsholder.[134]
ESPN+ (subscription streaming)
  • Exclusive Featured Groups and Featured Holes coverage over all four days
  • Exclusive traditional coverage until switching to television windows
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)[135][136]
USA Network (subscription)Early-round coverage2022–2028[135]
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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[137]
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)[135][136][138]
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[139][140][141][142][143]
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[144]
LPGAGolf Channel (subscription)
  • Exclusive coverage of all events (select events may have weekend coverage on NBC)
  • Solheim Cup
2022–2030[145][146]
CNBC (subscription)
  • Overflow coverage of selected events and rounds.
2024–2025[147][146]
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[148]
LIV GolfFox Sports (free-to-air and paid)2025–present[149]
Fox Sports App (streaming)
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Ice hockey

National Hockey League

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;[150][151][152]

More information Rightsholder, Extent of coverage ...
Rightsholder Extent of coverage
ABC
  • At least 38 exclusive regular season games per-season between ESPN and ESPN2.
  • At least 16 exclusive regular season games per-season on ABC.[153]
    • ABC's broadcasts consist primarily of a late-season ABC Hockey Saturday package on most Saturday afternoons and some Saturday nights in the later half of the season.[152]
  • 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.[154]
  • Broadcasts the Stanley Cup Final 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 48 exclusive regular season games per season, simulcast on Hulu and Disney+ (latter since 2024-25).
  • Streams all out-of-market games.[155]
  • 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 Sports
  • Up to 72 exclusive regular season games per-season on TNT,[150] primarily on Wednesday nights.[152]
  • 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 Final in odd-numbered years, simulcast on TBS and truTV
  • Rights to the NHL Awards, shown on TNT in odd years
  • Streaming rights to all games on HBO Max.
Close

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.[156] NHL teams also contract with local radio broadcasters to air game; games are also simulcast from local radio feeds on the SiriusXM 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,[157] Cheddar,[158] and Twitter.[159] In 2019, the league signed with Twitch to stream games and ancillary content, in its first contract to ever include a rights fee.[160]

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.[161]

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 2032,[163] and the Preakness Stakes through 2026,[164] 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.[165]

Fox Sports has the rights to the Belmont Stakes through 2030. Fox and FS1 both air the Belmont, with FS1 providing extra supplementary coverage.[166] Fox Sports also has an agreement with the NYRA for year-round coverage of NYRA races from Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park.[167]

FanDuel TV and FanDuel Racing also air live horse racing.[168]

Lacrosse

Premier Lacrosse League

  • 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

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

NASCAR

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.[170] On July 23, 2013, NASCAR and the NBC Sports Group announced a new $4.4 billion ten-year deal.[171][172][173] 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.[174][175] 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.[176] 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.[177][178] 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 HBO 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

As of 2025, Fox Sports is the exclusive broadcaster of all IndyCar Series races, with all races, as well as the weekend qualifying sessions for the Indianapolis 500, on Fox.[180] FS1 and FS2 broadcasts IndyCar practice and qualifying sessions for the remaining races, and all Indy NXT races.[180]

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.[181][182]

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.[183] 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.[184]

Apple TV acquired the rights to F1 beginning in 2026.[185]

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

All matches stream live on ESPN+ with select matches airing on ESPN2. Replays are available free of charge on The Rugby Network

The Championship Final is broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN+

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

CBS has rights to all World Rugby international events through 2029, including:[195]

Other international competitions/tournaments

Rugby sevens

Soccer

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 TBA English and Spanish-language rights; CONCACAF qualification matches for the 2030 FIFA World Cup
TBA English language rights; UEFA European qualification matches for the 2030 FIFA World Cup
TBA Spanish-language rights; UEFA European qualification matches for the 2030 FIFA World Cup
TBA English and Spanish-language rights; CONMEBOL qualification matches for the 2030 FIFA World Cup
TBA English-language rights; AFC third and fourth round qualification matches for the 2030 FIFA World Cup
TBA AFC qualification matches for the 2030 FIFA World Cup
TBA English and Spanish-language rights; CAF qualification matches for the 2030 FIFA World Cup
TBA English-language rights; OFC qualification matches for the 2030 FIFA World Cup
TBA English-language rights; Inter-confederation play-off matches for the 2030 FIFA World Cup
FIFA Club World Cup TNT Sports (TNT, TruTV, and TBS) English-language rights; 24 of 63 matches live for the 2025 tournament
DAZN English and Spanish-language rights; all 63 matches live for the 2025 tournament[197]
FIFA Women's World Cup finals
(History)
Netflix English and Spanish-language rights through 2031[198]
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
beIN Sports English, Spanish, and Arabic-language rights; CAF qualification matches
FIFA+ English-language rights; OFC qualification matches
FIFA+ English-language rights; Inter-confederation play-off matches
FIFA Women's Champions Cup FIFA+ English-language rights; first four matches only in 2026 (first-second rounds and both semi finals)
DAZN English and Spanish-language rights; both semi finals matches only in 2026
CBS Sports Both finals matches only (gold/silver and bronze) in 2026
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[199]
UEFA Nations League Fox Sports, FuboTV English-language rights through 2028
Univision Spanish-language rights through 2028[199]
UEFA Champions League
(History)
CBS Sports English-language rights through 2030, including select qualification matches
Univision Spanish-language rights through 2027
DAZN Spanish-language rights for 38 matches through 2027 (sublicensed from TelevisaUnivision)[200]
Telemundo Deportes Spanish-language rights from 2027 through 2030
UEFA Europa League CBS Sports English-language rights through 2030, including select qualification matches
Univision Spanish-language rights through 2027
Telemundo Deportes Spanish-language rights from 2027 through 2030
DAZN Spanish-language rights for selected matches through 2027 (sublicensed from TelevisaUnivision)[200]
UEFA Conference League CBS Sports English-language rights through 2030, including select qualification matches
Univision Spanish-language rights through 2027
Telemundo Deportes Spanish-language rights from 2027 through 2030
UEFA Super Cup CBS Sports English-language rights through 2029
Univision Spanish-language rights through 2026
Telemundo Deportes Spanish-language rights from 2027 through 2029
UEFA Women's Champions League CBS Sports English-language rights through 2030
ESPN Deportes Spanish-language rights through 2030
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
Univision Spanish language rights from 2027 through 2030
Copa Libertadores Femenina beIN Sports English and Spanish-language rights through 2026
Copa Sudamericana beIN Sports English and Spanish-language rights through 2026
Univision Spanish language rights from 2027 through 2030
Recopa Sudamericana Univision Spanish language rights from 2027 through 2030
CONCACAF Gold Cup Fox Sports English-language rights through 2029
Univision Spanish-language rights through 2029[201]
CONCACAF W Gold Cup CBS Sports English-language rights through 2029
ESPN Deportes Spanish-language rights
CONCACAF Nations League Fox Sports English-language rights until 2029, exclude US matches at the quarter finals
TelevisaUnivision (Univision, TUDN, Vix) Spanish-language rights until 2029, exclude US matches at the quarter finals
CONCACAF Champions Cup CBS Sports English-language rights through 2030
TBA Spanish-language rights through 2030
CONCACAF W Champions Cup CBS Sports English-language rights through 2030
ESPN Spanish-language rights
AFC Asian Cup TBA English-language rights
AFC Champions League Elite Onefootball
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 Until 2032: all matches.
Fox Sports Until 2026: non-exclusive coverage of 34 regular season matches (15 on Fox), 8 MLS Cup playoff matches, and MLS Cup. Spanish-language rights for Fox Deportes.
U.S. Open Cup United States CBS Sports/Paramount+ English-language rights through 2026: final 31 remaining matches from round of 32 until final[207]
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[208]
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+[208]
USL Cup United States ESPN+ English-language rights
National Independent Soccer Association United States NISA+
MLS Next Pro United StatesCanada MLSNextPro.com Selected matches and also streams on YouTube
Apple TV Selected matches through 2032
USL League Two United States SportsEngine Play
National Premier Soccer League United States DMV Sports Media YouTube
United Premier Soccer League United States TBD
National Women's Soccer League
(History)
United States CBS Sports/Paramount+ English-language rights on CBS, CBS Sports Network and Paramount+ through 2027[209]
ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+ English and Spanish-language rights through 2027[209]
Prime Video English-language rights through 2027[209]
Ion Television English-language rights through 2027[209]
NWSL+
USL Super League United States Peacock
USL W League United States SportsEngine Play
Women's Premier Soccer League United States National Soccer Network YouTube
College Cup United States ESPNU, ESPN+
Women's College Cup United States ESPNU, ESPN+
MLS Next United StatesCanada 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[210]
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[211]
Northern Super League Canada ESPN+ English-language rights
Liga MX Mexico Fox Sports Rights to home matches from Juarez and UANL.
CBS Sports At least 40 matches will air in English on CBSSN or Golazo Network[212]
TUDN, Univision, ViX, TUDNxtra Rights to home matches from America, Atlas, Atletico San Luis, Leon, Mazatlan, Monterrey, Necaxa, Pachuca, Puebla, Querétaro, Santos Laguna, Tijuana, Toluca, and UNAM
Fox Deportes Rights to home matches from Guadalajara (in tape delay), Tigres UANL and Juarez
Telemundo, Universo, Peacock Rights to home matches from Guadalajara, Tigres UANL and Juarez[213]
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 Apple TV English-language rights from 2023 to 2032[214]
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.[214]
Campeones Cup MexicoUnited StatesCanada Apple TV 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
Women's Super League English language rights through 2030
Women's League Cup English language rights through 2030
Women's FA Cup English language rights
FA Cup ESPN English and Spanish-language rights until 2027–28
FA Community Shield English and Spanish-language rights until 2027
FA Youth Cup English and Spanish-language rights
La Liga Spain ESPN English and Spanish-language rights until 2029
Segunda División
Copa del Rey English and Spanish-language rights until 2027[215]
Supercopa de España
Copa de la Reina English and Spanish-language rights until 2028
Supercopa de España Femenina
Liga F DAZN Spanish-language rights
Bundesliga Germany USA Sports English language rights until 2030–31; 30 matches live on USA and all matches available via Fandango streaming service
Telemundo Deportes Spanish language rights until 2028–29
2. Bundesliga TBA English language rights
TBA Spanish language rights
DFL-Supercup USA Sports English language rights until 2030
Telemundo Deportes Spanish language rights until 2028
3. Liga ESPN
DFB Pokal TBA TBA language rights until 2029–30
Frauen-Bundesliga DAZN English-language rights
Serie A Italy CBS Sports/Paramount+ English-language rights until 2027
DAZN Spanish-language rights (5 exclusive, 5 non-exclusive)[216]
Telemundo Deportes Spanish-language rights (5 matches that are non-exclusive to DAZN)[217]
Coppa Italia CBS Sports/Paramount+ English-language rights until 2027
Supercoppa Italiana
Serie A Women DAZN English-language rights[218]
Ligue 1 France beIN Sports English and Spanish-language rights until 2029 [219]
Ligue 2
Trophée des Champions
Coupe de France Fox Sports English and Spanish-language rights until 2026 [220]
Première Ligue DAZN English language rights
Close

Other national competitions

Swimming

Tennis

Australian Open

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

French Open

  • TNT Sports through 2034.[223] Coverage is aired on TNT, truTV, and HBO Max.

Wimbledon

  • ESPN[224][225] 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[226] 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.[227]

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

Tie Break Tens

  • Tennis Channel

Track and field (athletics)

Winter sports

Wrestling

Miscellaneous

References

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