ESPN lands mobile streaming rights to ‘Monday Night Football’
It will also be able to stream NFL highlights.
Ever since Verizon traded in its status as the exclusive wireless carrier for streaming live NFL games in order to gain streaming rights across multiple platforms, others have sought deals with the NFL to stream games to smartphones. Earlier this week, NBCUniversal signed a deal with the NFL allowing it to stream Sunday Night Football on all mobile devices through TV Everywhere starting in 2018. Today, ESPN announces that it has also reached a deal with the NFL and it will now add smartphones to the devices through which ESPN subscribers can stream Monday Night Football.
ESPN already had rights to stream its NFL-branded studio shows across all devices, including phones, tablets, computers and connected TVs. And it was allowed to stream Monday Night Football through all devices except phones, prior to this deal. The new agreement also includes mobile rights to NFL highlights.
ESPN's NFL deal extends to the end of the 2021 NFL season. As for the NFL's other partners, -- CBS and Fox Sports -- there hasn't been any word yet on whether their mobile rights will change.
