ESPN And TNT Sports – is already a partner in an upcoming sports streaming bundle – work together again.
Warner Bros. Discoveries TNT Sports will broadcast some early-round playoff games in a sublicense agreement with ESPN, beginning next season when the playoff expands to 12 teams. The five-year deal calls for TNT to broadcast two first-round matches after the 2024 and 2025 seasons, then add two quarterfinals in the remaining three years of the deal.
In March, ESPN signed one six-year extension, valued at a reported $7.8 billion, with the College Football Playoff set to keep the playoff under its umbrella through 2031-2032. The sublicense to TNT marks the first time CFP games will be broadcast anywhere other than ESPN and its fellow Disney outlets.
“We are pleased with this agreement with ESPN, which will provide TNT Sports the opportunity to present these College Football Playoff games on our platforms for years to come,” TNT Sports Chairman and CEO Luis Silberwasser said in a statement. “TNT Sports wants to delight fans and drive maximum reach and engagement for these big games.”
Rosalyn Durant, ESPN's Executive Vice President of Programming and Acquisitions, added: “ESPN is pleased to sublicense TNT Sports for select first-round games in the College Football Playoff, an event that – in addition to CFP – have helped it become one of the leading championships. We are confident in the reach and promotion this new agreement will provide as we enter the new expanded playoff era.”
ESPN, TNT Sports and Fox Sports are partners in it Venu Sports, the newly named sports streaming bundle that will combine the three companies' offerings. These currently include portions of the media rights packages for the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball and NASCAR, all current National Hockey League national agreements and the upcoming men's and women's World Cups in soccer.