Anyone who’s been in the fantasy game knows it all too well. ESPN had the cleaner interface, better draft tools, and smoother app experience, while NFL Fantasy offered real-time highlights, official player updates, and direct connection to the league itself. Managing teams across both platforms is a real headache, isn’t it? Think group chats split, scoring formats clashing, and Sunday mornings spent toggling between apps. Well, we might not have to worry about it anymore, thanks to Roger Goodell.

Disney just locked in a major deal with the NFL. ESPN is officially acquiring NFL Network and the rest of NFL Media, including NFL.com and RedZone. In return, the NFL gets a 10% ownership stake in ESPN. The best part? And yes, fantasy football just got a lot bigger. Alongside the media deal, NFL Fantasy and ESPN Fantasy are officially merging. That means one unified platform for leagues, rankings, and content under the ESPN umbrella. It’s the end of split-screen Sundays, folks.

Big news, but the NFL’s not giving up the keys. While ESPN takes the reins on distributing content, the league is still running the show in its own way. NFL Films? Still theirs. NFL+? Theirs. Podcasts, social channels, yep, all staying under league control. It’s a tag-team move: ESPN handles the business side, while the NFL keeps its voice front and center.

One thing fans definitely asked about: what’s happening with RedZone? Don’t worry, the Sunday touchdown frenzy isn’t going anywhere. ESPN will now handle getting RedZone out to cable and satellite providers, but the NFL still fully runs the show behind the scenes. That means if you’re watching on NFL+ or streaming it like usual, nothing’s changing… for now.

For the NFL, this move is right in line with Roger Goodell’s decade-long mission to hit $25 billion in annual revenue by 2027. That goal, first laid out back in 2010, is actually within reach now. The league topped $20 billion just last year. Now, by landing a reported 10% equity stake in ESPN (valued around $2–3 billion), the NFL gets a real seat at the table with the sports media giant it relies on most.

But the bigger story might be what this means for how we watch football. According to Reuters, ESPN is set to fold NFL Network into its upcoming all-in-one streaming service. Bundled with Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. Set to launch in late 2025 for around $29.99/month, this new platform could become the go-to home for fans who want all their football in one place, no cable required. Now, while this deal seems like a win-win for both parties, there might be a slight hiccup.

ESPN-NFL deal: A political ‘catnip’ for Donald Trump

That hiccup? None other than U.S. President Donald Trump. It’s essentially political catnip for Trump, who’s had a long-standing beef with both the NFL and Disney. Oh, and it almost guarantees disapproval from antitrust regulators. And their approval? It might take nine months or more.

Trump’s beef with football runs deep. Back in the ’80s, he owned the USFL’s New Jersey Generals and tried to strong-arm a fall schedule to force a merger with the NFL. Well, only to tank the whole league and walk away with a famously ironic $3 antitrust win. Fast forward a few decades, and after getting iced out of buying the Buffalo Bills, Trump reportedly told Stephen A. Smith that if NFL owners shut him out, he’d run for president just to spite them. We all know how that turned out.

His grudge is still alive. More recently, he blasted the NFL over player protests and slammed ESPN for what he calls biased coverage. He’s even taken shots at the Washington Commanders, reportedly threatening to block federal support for their new stadium unless the team ditched the name and went back to “Redskins.” It’s personal, political, and very on brand.

Word around the league is, Trump might try throwing a wrench in the NFL–ESPN deal before it even gets off the ground. He could lean on federal agencies to stall things out early. With the NFL now holding a stake in ESPN (home to ESPN Bet, their sportsbook partner), there’s real concern about conflicts of interest. The big question is whether ESPN can stay truly objective when it’s partly owned by the very league it covers every day.

Even folks who think the deal will go through are keeping one eye open. Word is, neither ESPN nor the NFL would’ve taken this public if they thought it’d hit a legal wall. So, Trump’s next play? That’s the biggest wildcard in the game right now.