The Walt Disney Company’s sports network ESPN has acquired exclusive rights to the Spanish La Liga in the USA. ESPN’s eight-year deal gives it full access to La Liga’s English- and Spanish-language rights in America through 2029. Signed prior to the 2021/22 season, ESPN’s record-breaking agreement was reported to be worth $175 million per year, totaling about $1,4 billion. Live La Liga matches in USA are expected to be televised on linear ESPN networks, including the flagship ESPN channel and ESPN Deportes, as well as on ABC.
All fixtures are to be aired in high definition both on TV and digital platforms. Detailed match highlights along with analysis and studio programs such as SportsCenter and Fuera de Juego will continuously enrich the viewers experience, every season. This is in addition to game previews, half-time talks, postgame and magazine shows. La Liga content will additionally be distributed on ESPN’s social media pages in USA. Naturally, every La Liga game shown on ESPN will be accessible via partner streaming services in America.
2023-24 season update:
ESPN and LaLiga embark on their third consecutive year of collaboration for the 2023-24 football season. As part of the comprehensive coverage strategy, the network is introducing "La Peña de LALIGA" on ESPN Deportes. This program is tailored to provide an in-depth perspective on the league, offering analyses, debates, and insights featuring notable figures such as Hugo Sanchez and Mario Kempes. On the digital side, ESPN's strategy encompasses a team of reporters based in Spain, ensuring timely coverage of major teams, including FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atlético de Madrid. ESPN has outlined an extensive social media strategy to supplement the broadcast and digital coverage, providing real-time updates and exclusive content across platforms.
ESPN has secured the rights to the Spanish Super Cup in the USA. The Spanish Super Cup matches will be available not only on ESPN's streaming platform ESPN+ but also on the network's linear channels, including ESPN, ESPN 2, and ESPN Deportes. This comprehensive coverage ensures that fans can enjoy the excitement and drama of the Spanish Super Cup on their preferred ESPN platform, whether through streaming or traditional television channels.
ESPN has acquired the rights to the German Supercup until 2026, following a deal with the German football association. The matches will be available to stream live in English language on the ESPN App in USA.
ESPN has announced its multiyear extension with the German Football Association (DFB) to become the exclusive home of the German Cup, also known as the DFB-Pokal, until 2026. This groundbreaking agreement ensures that ESPN+ subscribers can access at least 40 DFB-Pokal matches live each season, streamed exclusively in English. Additionally, select games, including the Semifinals and the Final, will be available on both ESPN networks and ESPN+ with English and Spanish commentary.
ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes will show 28 matches from the 2020 MLS Is Back Tournament on television in USA. ESPN will broadcast 22 games live, including the opening game and Final, in addition to all matches scheduled for 9am ET. ESPN2 will show six MLS matches live, including a game from the quarterfinals and semis. ESPN Deportes will televise all 28 matches from the MLS Is Back Tournament with Spanish-language commentary. All 28 MLS matches will be streamed live on the ESPN App.
ESPN has acquired multi-platform broadcast rights for the USL Championship through the 2022 season in USA. With the deal including both English- and Spanish-language telecasts, coverage for 19 linear games—consisting of 18 regular-season fixtures plus the USL Championship Final—will be aired by ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU or ESPN Deportes annually. Matches not aired by any of these TV networks will be available to stream live on ESPN+, and also from within the ESPN App, on computers, mobile devices and smart TVs.
US broadcaster ESPN has secured multi-platform broadcast rights for the USL League One. English-language telecasts will be brought to viewers by ESPN2, ESPNEWS or ESPNU, whereas ESPN Deportes will provide Spanish-language broadcasts. Live streaming of USL League One games will also be available on direct-to-consumer video service ESPN+ and accessible from within the ESPN App.
ESPN and ESPN Deportes will each broadcast 15 matches per year in the US, while ESPN+ will exclusively show up to 10 live games in both English and Spanish.
ESPN has acquired multi-platform broadcast rights to the Italian Serie A in the United States. The deal, which was signed ahead of the 2018/19 season, will bring over 340 exclusive Serie A matches every season to the broadcaster’s direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service, ESPN+. As an OTT platform dedicated to expanding the sports viewing experience of ESPN subscribers, ESPN+ will stream an average of nine live matches every week, every season. ESPN linear networks, on the other hand, will organize to telecast a Serie A TIM Match of the Week, every matchday. Television broadcasts of the Italian Serie A in USA will be carried out by ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNEWS in English, whereas ESPN Deportes will show the matches in Spanish. Throughout the year, ESPN will offer additional Serie A-related programming, such as news bulletins and match highlights. The full action is expected to be available for subscribers to watch live and on demand online, as well as through the official ESPN App for Android and iOS mobile phones and tablets.
ESPN Networks has acquired the TV and Streaming broadcast rights for the SuperCoppa Italiana. In the agreement, the Coppa Italia Final and the Supercoppa Italiana will air live on the ESPN networks (ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNEWS), in addition to ESPN Deportes’ live Spanish-language presentation of the matches.
ESPN has acquired the multi-platform broadcasting rights of the Coppa Italia in the US territory. As per the rights agreement, ESPN+ will stream 24 Coppa Italia matches each year of the agreement. Coverage of the Coppa Italia in the USA will comment with the round-of-16 matches in January 2019 through the two-leg, semifinal series in February. The Coppa Italia Final and the Supercoppa Italiana will air live on the ESPN networks (ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNEWS), in addition to ESPN Deportes’ live Spanish-language presentation of the matches.
ESPN Deportes will air live matches from Costa Rica’s Liga FDP in USA for the rest of the season, with Spanish-language commentary. The network will broadcast the remaining home games of Deportivo Saprissa on television, with live streams available on the ESPN App for subscribers on various streaming devices. The Liga FDP will also be available to watch live on ESPN’s website.
ESPN reached a sub-license deal agreement with Fox Sports acquiring non-exclusive English and Spanish-language broadcast rights to group-stage matches which will be showcased on channels across the ESPN Network and on it’s digital platforms through WatchESPN, ESPN3. This agreement also grants ESPN Deportes the exclusive Spanish-language rights for 72 live games (playoff round, group stage and knockout phase). ESPN Deportes will air the Champions League Final plus UEFA Super Cup for the 2017-18 season. ESPN Deportes Radio will audio stream the entire tournament through to the 2017-18 season on the ESPN Deportes Radio Network
