As the NBA’s exclusive negotiating period came to an end earlier this week for its current broadcast partners, sources have continued to say Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery were 75% or more to the finish line of a renewed deal with the NBA. The Puck’s John Ourand is now reporting ESPN and the NBA “have essentially come to terms on a package.”

In the report, Ourand says the deal being worked on would have ESPN remaining with the top package and that would include the NBA Finals staying on ABC. With that, Ourand says his sources are telling him ESPN will end up with less games in order for the NBA to create another package for a streamer. He reports something similar for Warner Bros. Discovery, however, says that deal is not as far along.

Numerous reports have indicated that Amazon, Apple, YouTube TV, Comcast (NBCUniversal/Peacock) and Netflix have all expressed potential interest on the streaming side. Other reports have said the NBA could look to sell games within the In-Season Tournament to a separate media company, as well, potentially adding a fourth partner in the deal.

Sports Business Journal’s Alex Karp had also reported last week that no matter what offers could come in from other networks or streamers, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery have a right to match the offer.

In what had to be one of the most covered non-game events in NFL history, the 2024 NFL Draft might very well be remembered as ‘The Belichick Draft.’ Bill Belichick, who has taken part in NFL Drafts for decades as a coach, took part in The Pat McAfee Draft Spectacular for night one of the draft as an analyst and by all accounts was a major hit.

As the show, which was carried on ESPN+, started to wrap up, McAfee said to Belichick, “Tonight was awesome…You crushed it.”

Belichick replied saying, “Is there any chance I could be on your show during the fall?” McAfee replied, “You mean like Mondays?”

And with that it appears much like Aaron Rodgers and Nick Saban in the past, Bill Belichick will be a weekly guest during the football season on The Pat McAfee Show.

Many wondered if Belichick would be a fit with McAfee and his cohorts and for those that tuned into the Draft Spectacular, it seems that was answered with a resounding yes. While McAfee’s team stayed in character throughout the broadcast, Belichick fit in well in both analyzing the players and teams while at the same time being comfortable enough to be relaxed and have fun with the style of broadcast McAfee presents.

Earlier this week Andrew Marchand of The Athletic said all signs are pointing to Belichick also being a recurring guest on Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli, also known as the ManningCast.

The third season under the seven-year agreement between The Walt Disney Company and National Hockey League was a success, with the NHL on ESPN property delivering double-digit viewership increases. For the regular season, NHL broadcasts on ESPN averaged 486,000 total viewers, which is up 25% compared to last season. Within the Persons 18-49 demographic, the property averaged 211,000 viewers, a 20% year-over-year increase.

Regular season games on ESPN networks averaged 666,000 total viewers, a 13% increase from last season. Additionally, the Persons 18-49 demographic came to an average of 230,000 viewers, which is up 4% year-over-year. ESPN also produced digital content that accrued more traffic than last season with 42 million unique viewers and 1.5 billion minutes, up 14% and 11% on the year, respectively.

The network broadcast an opening night tripleheader on Tuesday, Oct. 10 that started with a game between the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning at 5:30 p.m. EST. Following the interconference matchup was a tilt between the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins at 8 p.m. EST. The night concluded with a matchup between the two newest teams in the NHL – the Seattle Kraken against the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights. These games averaged 909,000 total viewers, up 40% from the 2022-23 season opening night doubleheader.

Later in the season, the network broadcast both Stadium Series games from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. – which included the Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders and New York Rangers. The latter matchup between the Islanders and Rangers became the most-viewed regular season game since ESPN reacquired rights to the NHL in 2021, averaging 1.6 million viewers.

ESPN is broadcasting games within the Stanley Cup Playoffs as teams strive to win the league championship at season’s end. Viewership of Round 1 games across ESPN, TBS and truTV have amassed a 51% increase in ratings and 60% rise in viewership from last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, according to a report from Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch. The Walt Disney Company will broadcast the Stanley Cup Final on ABC for the second time under the existing deal with the NHL.