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ESPN and NFL Sign 8 year Multi-Billion Agreement for Monday Night Football

Monday Night Football will remain on ESPN through the 2021 NFL season under a new eight-year agreement between ESPN and the National Football League worth over $1.9 billion a year. The agreement, which begins in 2014, includes eight full seasons of MNF telecasts, expanded NFL studio programming (beginning this week), highlight rights for TV and ESPN.com, the Pro Bowl, the NFL Draft, 3D rights, and enhanced international rights.

“Today, we’ve secured cable’s most valuable television franchise, along with an enhanced international package of year-round multimedia rights.” said ESPN and ABC Sports President George Bodenheimer. “It will help grow our business well into the next decade. No one has the breadth of worldwide media assets or the ability to monetize a property the way ESPN can, particularly with Monday Night Football and our complete NFL coverage.”

“We are proud to extend our three-decade partnership with ESPN,” said NFL Commissioner Goodell. “We have come a long way together since ESPN first televised the NFL Draft in 1980. With this new agreement we are excited about the opportunity to take the NFL-ESPN partnership to innovative new heights in serving the most passionate fans in sports.”

The $1.9 billion a year cost is up from the previous contract of $1.1 billion, yet analysts are still claiming this to be a good deal for both parties. That seems like quite a bit of additional revenue ESPN will need to generate per game to generate an increase in revenue from the MNF franchise.

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Disney Reveals Plans for ESPN WWOS Bowling Center in new Filing

According to a report on WESH, a local Orlando news station, Disney has filed plans for the 100 lane bowling center that is planned for ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. As you can see in the overlay I worked on above (click for a… Read More »Disney Reveals Plans for ESPN WWOS Bowling Center in new Filing

ABC and ESPN Sign New Deal with IZOD IndyCar Series, will Host Indianapolis 500 Through 2018

If you were born in the last 50 years, the only Indianapolis 500 broadcast you’ve ever known has been on ABC. A new deal between IZOD IndyCar series and Disney will ensure that this Memorial Day weekend television tradition will continue. A new six-year rights agreement will keep the Indianapolis 500 on ABC through 2018, extending one of the longest-running relationships between a sporting event and a television network past the half-century mark.

ESPN on ABC will broadcast the 500 Mile Race for the 48th consecutive year on May 27, 2012, and, with the new agreement taking effect in 2013, also will televise the 100th running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in 2016.

“The Indianapolis 500 and ABC have been together since 1965 and we are very proud to extend the relationship with this new agreement,” said George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN and ABC Sports. “The 500 is a uniquely American event and a Memorial Day tradition, and we especially look forward to televising the 100th edition of the race in 2016.”

As part of the new agreement, ABC will be the exclusive broadcast network partner for the IZOD IndyCar Series from 2013-2018 and will continue to televise four races each year in addition to the Indianapolis 500. The worldwide presence of the Indianapolis 500 and the series on television will continue as ESPN also has international syndication rights for all IZOD IndyCar Series races.

“IndyCar is very excited about our continued relationship with ABC,” said Randy Bernard, CEO, IndyCar. “This allows the series long-term growth on the network. This new contract also helps us expand our presence around the world with ESPN representing our international rights. I want to thank ABC for their strong confidence and commitment in our brand and series. This deal will help our series, team owners, sponsors and fans for the long term with a much more solid foundation.”

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Pop Warner Super Bowl signs 10 year deal to play at ESPN WWOS Complex


Ken Potrock, Senior VP of Disney Sports Enterprises, and Jon Butler, Executive Director of Pop Warner Little Scholars, pose with Mickey Mouse and two Pop Warner athletes at ESPN WWOS. (Gene Duncan, photographer)

For players and families of Pop Warner football, a new 10 year deal with Disney to host the Super Bowl and other games at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex is a great deal. It means potential national exposure, plus access to all the fun that ESPN WWOS and Disney World provides. For Disney vacationers, it means another 10 years of loud groups and noisy nights at the value resorts. Having to share your resort with Pop Warner football players and Cheerleaders is one of the big complaints I read on discussion boards. On the balance though, I think this is a good deal.

Under the contract extension, which runs through 2019, more than 40 hours of live game coverage and game action cut-ins will be shown on ESPN3.com. In addition, the Division I Midget national championship game will be aired on ESPN2 and other networks.

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ESPN The Weekend Canceled

I’m at a bit of a loss to wrap my mind around this announcement made on the Disney Parks blog today — ESPN The Weekend has been canceled. The message from Darrell Fry, Sports Media Director at Walt Disney World, claims that Disney wants to… Read More »ESPN The Weekend Canceled

Real Madrid’s Kaká and NFL Stars meet when Futbol and Football Worlds Collide at ESPN WWOS

International soccer sensation Kaká played football and soccer Wednesday with several NFL players and Mickey Mouse at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World near Orlando, FL.

Kaká, the Brazilian star of the Real Madrid team, played around with NFL players such as Bryant McFadden (Steelers), Travis Johnson (Chargers) and Greg Jones (Jaguars), who train at the sports complex with renowned trainer Tom Shaw.

In the photo above Real Madrid soccer star Kaká (far right) runs ahead of Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden (center) to catch a pass from Mickey Mouse on June 14, 2011 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Fla. (Photo courtesy Disney. Matt Stroshane, photographer)

The video below features Real Madrid soccer star Kaká answering questions asked by a Disney PR rep:

Kaká was at Disney in advance of next month’s prestigious Disney Cup International Youth Soccer Tournament, which features nearly 200 teams from 16 countries.

Update: New video shows Kaká, Mickey Mouse, and NFL guys playing around at ESPN WWOS:

Read More »Real Madrid’s Kaká and NFL Stars meet when Futbol and Football Worlds Collide at ESPN WWOS

Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos Quarterback, visits Disney World’s ESPN WWOS for Make-A-Wish

Earlier today Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow visited Walt Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and helped make a wish come true for Adam Hubbs. In the photo above, Hubbs, 16, and Tebow strike a “Heisman pose” as a part of the joint… Read More »Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos Quarterback, visits Disney World’s ESPN WWOS for Make-A-Wish

America’s Olympic Gymnastics Star Nastia Liukin at ESPN WWOS

For the average Orlando traveler, the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex is one of the most under appreciated parts of the Walt Disney World resort. But for the athletes who train and compete at the complex, it is a central experience in the Disney… Read More »America’s Olympic Gymnastics Star Nastia Liukin at ESPN WWOS