Disney and Comcast End Three-Month NFL Network Blackout

M&A · Partnership

โดย Insider Monkey·

Summary · why it matters

Disney and Comcast reached a deal on August 11, 2026, ending a months-long blackout that had kept NFL Network and NFL RedZone off Comcast's Xfinity cable service. The agreement came after Disney's ESPN unit took over NFL Media assets earlier this year and the two companies failed to agree on new terms when their contract expired, leaving roughly 11 million Xfinity subscribers without the channels since the end of April. Financial terms were not disclosed, but Disney was believed to have pushed for higher fees and additional live game broadcasts, and the deal shows its new NFL Media leverage translated into real negotiating power. Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro, in his first CNBC interview since succeeding Bob Iger in March 2026, said the parks division was a "big surprise" last quarter and ruled out spinning off ESPN, though he admitted he is not happy with where the stock stands. Comcast secured the return of the channels just in time for the 2026 season, avoiding a second consecutive season disrupted for football fans and removing a subscriber-retention risk for its main cable business.