DOJ to ESPN, NFL: Not So Fast

The NFL has been lobbying congressional offices about ESPN/Disney deal ahead of DOJ scrutiny

August 8, 2025

Report: NFL Has Been Lobbying Congressional Offices About ESPN/Disney Deal Ahead of DOJ Scrutiny
The NFL has “done outreach to 30 congressional offices” to discuss the terms of its deal with Disney/ESPN and how it would “result in greater consumer choice” amid reports that the deal is expected to “face scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice,” according to sources cited by Godoy & Chmielewski of REUTERS. Doyle, Barlow & Mazard partner Andre P. Barlow said the transaction “surely raises competition concerns.” Godoy & Chmielewski wrote this is because it could “potentially give Disney greater control over televised sports carriage and reduce competition.”
^{Sports Business Journal}

Bears Valued at $8.8B as Current Owners Share McKenna Stake Sale
Sportico’s Eben Novy-Williams reports: “The current owners of the Chicago Bears, the McCaskey and Ryan families, have reached an agreement to share the equity owned by late investor Andrew McKenna in a transaction that values the NFL team at roughly $8.8 billion, according to multiple people familiar with the details. The two families will share the roughly 2% of the team as part of the agreement, said the people, who were granted anonymity because the details are not public. After the transaction closes, the McCaskeys will own about 77.5% of the Bears, with the Ryans holding the rest.”
^Sportico

Boston Celtics $6.1B Sale Likely to Close Within Next Two Weeks
The sale of the Boston Celtics to William Chisholm will likely close late next week or early the following week, according to three people familiar with the details who were not authorized to speak publicly. The deal still needs approval from the league’s board of governors, who comprise the 30 team owners. The vote can occur remotely and does not require a league meeting.
^Sportico

Skydance Closes $8 Billion Paramount Deal, Creating “Next-Generation Media and Tech” Giant
Combining entertainment and technology in a new Hollywood giant is paramount for David Ellison. His Skydance Media has closed its takeover, unveiled in July 2024, of Paramount Global to form what the merger partners have called a “next-generation media and technology leader, positioned to win in today’s rapidly transforming media landscape.”
^{Sports Business Journal}

AEG and American Express Extend Their Two-Decade-Long Relationship
SBJ’s Bret McCormick writes, “AEG and American Express have expanded their 20-year-old partnership in a new multiyear deal that spans five AEG verticals (venues, festivals, touring, ticketing, and sports), includes 40 marquee assets across four continents, and constitutes AEG’s largest annual sponsorship relationship, both in terms of revenue and breadth of assets. AEG declined to share any specific financial details. The renewal includes American Express Venue Collection benefits at Crypto.com Arena, The O2 (London), Uber Arena (Berlin) and other AEG venues...”
^{Sports Business Journal}

A ‘College Football RedZone’ Is an ESPN Gold Mine—in Theory
FOS’ Amanda Christovich and Michael McCarthy write, “Trying to monetize the fervent enthusiasm around RedZone in college football makes strategic sense for ESPN. But the logistics could be challenging, especially licensing highlights from broadcasts for games not owned by ESPN. The sports media giant is the clear leader in the space, boasting an exclusive media-rights agreement with the SEC, rights to most ACC games as well as extensive rights to the Big 12, American, Sun Belt, Mid-American conferences, and more … But ESPN doesn’t control all of college football’s big-time TV inventory.”
^{Front Office Sports}

Dick’s Sporting Goods Launches Production Studio, Sets Little League Documentary and More Original Sports Programming (EXCLUSIVE)
Dick’s Sporting Goods is launching a production banner called Cookie Jar & A Dream Studios, which will make its official debut on an ESPN documentary titled “Big Dreams: The Little League World Series 2024.”
^Variety

After ‘F1 The Movie,’ Liberty Says F1 Doing Well
As “F1 The Movie” played in theaters in recent weeks, Liberty Media says the commercial side of F1 remained on pace commercially, and it now plans to bring a similar formula to the newly acquired MotoGP.
^{Sports Business Journal}

NBA Loss Likely Pressured Warner Bros. Discovery Ad Sales Efforts
Variety’s Brian Steinberg writes, “A tough bounce — the loss of rights to show NBA games — likely crimped Warner Bros. Discovery‘s ability to attract advertising dollars during the most recent TV ‘upfront’ market, with the company declining to reveal its level of ad commitments despite most of its rivals having done so.”
^Variety

Boston Legacy Get Extension to Fund White Stadium
Boston city officials have given Boston Legacy FC ownership a “six-week extension to wrap up financing for its portion” of the White Stadium redevelopment in Franklin Park. The team “plans to take on debt to help pay for its portion,” but it is “taking more time to line that up than initially expected.”
^{Boston Globe via Sports Business Journal}

David Jenkins Named Haslam Sports Group President
Haslam Sports Group has elevated longtime COO DAVID JENKINS to the position of president as he leads the organization’s efforts to build a new enclosed stadium for the Browns in the Cleveland suburb of Brook Park. In addition to the Browns, the role includes oversight of HSG’s other sports holdings, most notably majority ownership of the Crew and a stake in the Bucks.
^{Sports Business Journal}

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Three Schools Sue Mountain West Alleging Withheld Money, ‘Fraud’ in Grand Canyon Move
The Athletic’s Matt Baker writes, “The Mountain West’s conference realignment legal fight gained a new layer Thursday when three departing schools accused the league of improperly withholding tens of millions of dollars — including Boise State’s College Football Playoff money — and misleading them about a covert plan to speed up the addition of Grand Canyon University as a member.

“Those complaints are from an updated Colorado district court lawsuit filed against the Mountain West by members Boise State, Colorado State and Utah State. All three are among the schools leaving for the Pac-12 next year.”
^{The Athletic}

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