BIZCould Sunday Night Football be on ABC with new media rights deal? by Nicholas Durst November 3, 2020 With all of the NFL’s media deals expiring after the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Disney is gearing up to make a big bid to secure Sunday Night Football for ABC. As far back as early 2019, there was buzz about ABC wanting a Super Bowl and this would be the way to make that happen.Sunday Night Football is the most valuable programming in television and a billion-dollar battle is emerging between incumbent NBC and Disney/ABC/ESPN as the NFL moves toward agreements on its new TV deals. The deals could be completed by the end of the year, The Post has learned.Currently, ESPN spends $2 billion per year for an inferior Monday Night schedule and no Super Bowls, while NBC writes a check for a mere $950 million for Sunday Night, which includes flexible scheduling that allows the NFL to shift better games into prime time, as well as a spot in the Super Bowl rotation. Part of Disney’s pitch is that it currently pays the most so it deserves the best prime-time regular-season schedule.Current NFL Media Rights Deals:“Monday Night Football” — $1.90 billion per year, ESPNAFC Sunday Package — $1.09 billion per year, CBSNFC Sunday Package — $1.08 billion per year, Fox“Sunday Night Football” — $960 million per year, NBC“Thursday Night Football” — $660 million per year, FoxESPN’s extra cost for Monday Night Football does allow it to have almost wall-to-wall highlights on its network daily, which is something NBC, Fox and CBS don’t have. ESPN broadcasts the draft and the Pro Bowl. If Sunday Night Football ends up on ABC, NBC would still be in play for Monday or Thursday night action. Both Disney and NBC could try for Fox and CBS’ Sunday afternoon packages. Disney and NBC still can’t entirely be ruled out just yet for Sunday afternoons, but it seems less likely at the moment.Amazon and Apple are also likely to try to jump into the bidding war. Amazon is already the digital home for Thursday nights, while Apple could try to help its Apple+ product. Both have extraordinarily deep pockets, though neither is expected to receive a marquee standalone package and may just be in line for digital rights.ESPN’s current “Monday Night Football” deal concludes after next season, while NBC, CBS and Fox’s NFL TV contracts will be completed following the 2022-23 Super Bowl. Post Views: 91The following two tabs change content below.BioLatest PostsNicholas DurstNicholas Durst is a sports media professional who has worked as an on-air personality and producer with the Brooklyn Cyclones, Bleacher Report, MSG Networks, WFAN Radio and MTV. He has experience in TV, radio, social/digital media, short-form and live video across sports and entertainment. He is also a NCAA Division II broadcaster for CSI SportsNet. Nicholas hosts You Know I'm Right, right here on InTheZone.io. Follow him on twitter @Nick_DurstLatest posts by Nicholas Durst (see all) You Know I’m Right, Episode 89: MLB.com’s Sarah Langs (Audio) - March 1, 2021 You Know I’m Right, Episode 88: Turk Wendell, Former New York Mets Pitcher (Audio/Video) - February 26, 2021 You Know I’m Right, Episode 87: Jay Horwitz Of The New York Mets (Audio/Video) - February 24, 2021 You Know I’m Right, Episode 86: New York Mets’ Beat Reporter Mike Puma (Audio/Video) - February 22, 2021 Related TopicsABCamazonAPPLEbroadcastingCBSESPNFOXmedia rightsMonday Night FootballNBCNFlnfl broadcastsnfl mediaSunday Night Football Newsletter SubscriptionCan't Miss Posts! No Shame in Their Game – Female Mixed Martial Artists Use Onlyfans to Make Money by Brandon Berrios | posted on December 4, 2020 Neha Uberoi Khangoora: Pro Athlete to Successful Business Entrepreneur by Sunil Sunder Raj | posted on February 9, 2021 Women in Sports: NHL Network Host, Jackie Redmond by Nicholas Durst | posted on March 4, 2019 The Five Biggest Injuries of the 2020 NFL Season by Anthony Paradiso | posted on November 6, 2020 Two-Time WWE Women’s Champion Jazz is a Very Busy Woman by Candace Cordelia | posted on February 2, 2021More in BIZ The Olympics Have Become So Expensive and Here’s Why…The Olympics is a worldwide event where athletes from all around the globe come... 4 U.S Women Olympians Launch New Company Called TOGETHXRTOGETHXR is new media and commerce company founded by U.S Olympians Alex Morgan, Sue... Vistaprint, Boston Celtics, NAACP Announced Formation of Power Forward Grant For Small Minority BusinessVistaprint, the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation & NAACP have announced the formation of the... The Future Is Fitness For AppleFitness+ was launched in December 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted gyms and fitness... LeBron James Praises Barack Obama’s Walk-Off Gym Shot More bad news for the NFL: Baltimore Ravens place 7 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list