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List of sports properties broadcast by ESPN networks

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ESPN and its family of domestic networks (ESPN on ABC, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes and (to a lesser extent) ESPN Classic) have or previously had rights to the following sports and events.

Current properties

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American football

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NFL on ESPN

Other:

Association football

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Soccer

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Soccer on ESPN/ABC

Clubs

Baseball

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ESPN Major League Baseball: 1990–2028

Little League World Series

Basketball

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NBA on ESPN: 1982–1984, 2002–2025

  • Wednesday night regular season games (co-exists with regional broadcasts).
  • Friday night regular season games outside of the in-season tournament (co-exists with regional broadcasts).
  • NBA in-season tournament:
    • Exclusive Friday night conference group play games
    • Consolation games on Wednesday and Friday during knockout round.
    • Exclusive Eastern Conference in-season tournament semifinal (even years only)
    • Exclusive Western Conference in-season tournament semifinal (odd years only)
    • Exclusive in-season tournament final (airs on ABC)
  • Saturday Primetime
  • Sunday Showcase
  • Exclusive Christmas games.
  • NBA play-in tournament:
    • Exclusive 9–10 seeded games, both conferences
    • Exclusive Eastern Conference No. 8 seed game (even-numbered years)
    • Exclusive Western Conference No. 8 seed game (odd-numbered years)
  • NBA playoffs:
    • First round (generally Fridays and selected weekend games, co-exists with regional broadcasts)
    • Second round (generally Thursdays, Fridays, and selected weekend games)
    • Exclusive Eastern Conference Finals (even-numbered years)
    • Exclusive Western Conference Finals (odd-numbered years)
    • Exclusive NBA Finals airing on ABC

WNBA on ESPN: 1997–2025

Cricket

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Handball

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Ice Hockey

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NHL on ESPN/NHL on ABC

  • 1985–1988 (National television deal, agreements with individual clubs as early as 1979)
  • 1992–2004
  • 2021–2028
    • Exclusive Thursday and Saturday night regular season games
    • Stadium Series (depending on scheduling conflicts)
    • NHL All-Star Weekend
    • Stanley Cup Playoffs
      • Selected first and second-round games (primarily on days when not airing the NBA, depending on which league begins their postseason first or if both leagues start their playoffs at roughly the same time; first-round co-exists with regional broadcasts)
      • One exclusive conference finals series per season (ESPN/ABC has the first choice as to which conference to air.[4])
    • Exclusive Stanley Cup Finals on ABC (even-numbered years)

NCAA Ice Hockey Tournament

World Cup of Hockey 2016–[6]

Tennis

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Tennis on ESPN

Golf

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Golf on ESPN

Canadian football

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Canadian Football League

  • 1983–1986 (approximate)
  • 1994–1997
  • 2008–2013 (ESPN3 only; by virtue in its stake in Canadian broadcaster TSN, the official broadcaster of the CFL, it held internet streaming rights.)
  • 2013–present (Select games on ESPN2, streaming coverage on ESPN+)

Motorsports

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College and high school sports

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  • ESPN College Baseball (2003–present)
  • ESPN College Basketball (1979–present)
  • ESPN College Football (1979–present)
  • ESPN College Hockey (2005–present)
  • ESPN College Lacrosse (2005–present)
  • ESPN College Soccer (2005–present)
  • ESPN College Softball (2005–present)
  • ESPN College Volleyball (2005–present)
  • High School Showcase (2005–present)

Combat Sports

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Mixed Martial Arts

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Former properties

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National teams

FIFA World Cup

  • Finals: 1986, 1994–2014
  • UEFA Qualifying: 2018–2022

Australian Football League

  • 2009–2011

UEFA Champions League

  • 1995–2009

Major Indoor Soccer League

  • 1985–1987
  • 2005–2006 (championship games only)

ESPN Major League Soccer (1996–2022)

Premier League

  • 2009–2013

Lega Serie A[10] (2018–2021)

IndyCar Series

  • 1996–2008 (ESPN continued to produce the broadcasts of five races that aired on ABC through 2018, including the Indianapolis 500.)

CART on ESPN

  • 1980–2001
  • 2007 (series merged with IRL, beginning with the 2008 season)

NASCAR on ESPN

  • 1981–2000 (Contracts with individual races)
  • 2001–2002 (Contract with NASCAR, Truck Series only)
  • 2007–2014 (Contract with NASCAR)

NHRA

  • 1980(?)–2000 (Contracts with individual races)
  • 2001–2015 (Contract with NHRA)

Global RallyCross Championship

  • 2011–2013

American Le Mans Series

  • 1999–2013

Thoroughbred Racing on ESPN

Premier Boxing Champions

  • 2015–2017, returned again for 2020 only, based on the Top Rank main feed.

AWA Championship Wrestling

  • 1985–1990

Global Wrestling Federation

  • 1991–1994

UWF Fury Hour

  • 1995 only

References

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  1. ^ a b "ACC, ESPN agree to 20-year rights deal that will lead to 2019 launch of ACC Network". 19 July 2016.
  2. ^ "Sun Belt & ESPN Expand Media Rights Partnership". 22 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Little League Chronology". Little League Online. Archived from the original on April 9, 2009. Retrieved April 7, 2007. ESPN2 broadcasts started in 1997.
  4. ^ "NHL moving to Turner Sports is $1 billion risk-reward for hockey". CNBC. July 9, 2021.
  5. ^ "Frozen Four championship back on ESPN; semifinal games both to air on ESPN2 :: USCHO.com :: U.S. College Hockey Online". Archived from the original on 2012-11-09.
  6. ^ Gentille, Sean. "ESPN to broadcast World Cup of Hockey, report says". The Sporting News. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  7. ^ Pryson, Brian (4 October 2017). "BREAKING: F1 moving to ESPN/ABC TV in 2018". Autoweek. Detroit: Hearst Communications.
  8. ^ Hall, Andy (October 22, 2022). "The Walt Disney Company, ESPN, Formula 1 Extend Relationship with New, Multi-Year Contract" (Press release). Bristol: ESPN.
  9. ^ "Top Rank Boxing lands 7-year deal with ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2018-10-20.
  10. ^ "ESPN+ and ESPN Acquire Rights to Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana – ESPN Press Room U.S." 2 October 2018.