By Leonard Armato, Contributor
The NFL just scored a game-changing touchdown: a 10% equity stake in ESPN, valued at $2-3 billion, in exchange for assets like NFL Network and RedZone. This isn’t just a business deal—it’s an expansion of existing monopoly like power that could suffocate the dreams of emerging sports fighting for fans. As someone who’s built brands like Shaq’s and AVP Beach Volleyball, I see trouble ahead for second-tier leagues and new sports. The NFL’s grip on ESPN, the sports media kingpin, means less room for everyone else.
ESPN’s Iron Grip On Sports Media
ESPN isn’t just a network—it’s the destination for sports fans. It commands 31% of linear TV sports viewership. Online, it’s a beast, reaching 175 million unique users monthly—over two-thirds of American adults. When you want scores, highlights, or hot takes, ESPN is the self proclaimed “world wide leader in sports”. It’s massive influence shapes what we watch, cheer for, and talk about. Despite cord cutting, streaming and the fragmentation of sports media, ESPN has kept pace by maintaining its dominance across all platforms.
Now, the NFL goes from ESPN’s most important property to part owner, ESPN’s priorities are clear: protect the NFL Golden Goose at all costs– and above all grow it and protect it. This deal, ties the league’s fortunes to ESPN’s, ensuring NFL content—games, drafts, even off-season drama—gets prime billing. And there’s ample incentive to bury anything newsworthy that might damage the NFL’s reputation. It’s almost unimaginable to envision an NFL fall from grace. That’s bad news for smaller sports craving exposure to grow their fandom.
Why Emerging Sports Are Getting Sidelined
Building a fanbase takes more than great games; it’s about stories, stars, and viral moments which is one of the most difficult things for emerging sports to achieve. ESPN is the ultimate stage for that, but if you’re not in the NFL’s orbit, you’re lucky to get a cameo. Sports like women’s pro volleyball, pro lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, or esports variants are already fighting for scraps. Now, with the NFL and ESPN alliance tighter than ever, those scraps are shrinking. Here’s why:
- NFL And Major Sport Bias Amplified: The NFL’s equity stake means ESPN will double down on football, from live games to endless analysis, leaving less distribution of live programming opportunities and media coverage for other sports. If ESPN is not covering the NFL the coverage will shift to the other major sports where ESPN has already invested heavily through rights fees. These sports include the NBA, NHL, MLB, US Open Tennis, and college football, among others. All of these are a priority for ESPN and prioritized well above any new or emerging sport.
- Ad Dollars Follow Football: With advertisers chasing NFL eyeballs, ESPN has paid enormous rights fees to the NFL. In order to claw back that investment they must focus their attention on selling the NFL which means little time and energy to devote to niche sports that don’t move the ad needle—yet.
- Fandom Feedback Loop: More NFL coverage draws more fans, which justifies more coverage and generates more revenue. New sports can’t break into this cycle without media oxygen and promotion.
- Building Stars Drives Viewership: Leagues grow as stars emerge. Case in point, the WNBA saw a surge in popularity when Caitlin Clark exploded on the scene in her last year of college and first year in the WNBA.
As the NFL flexes its muscle, it makes it far more difficult for emerging sports to find both distribution for its live matches and journalistic coverage. The NFL has made women’s flag football a priority so ESPN lavishes it with over 33 hours of coverage for events like the NFL Flag Championships, complete with slick production—mics on coaches, highlight reels, the works. Why? Flag football feeds the NFL’s pipeline, growing young fans and eyeing the 2028 Olympics. Women’s Pro Volleyball? It’s got no NFL connection, so it’s pretty much left with few matches, lower tier distribution and relatively no reporting.
The Underdog Fight for Attention
These emerging sports underdogs aren’t just competing with the NFL—they’re battling a media giant now incentivized to prioritize one sport above all. That’s not to mention the other major sports at the top of the food chain like the NBA The WNBA’s rise shows what’s possible with exposure, but it took years of grit, cultural shifts and the support of the NBA. Today’s new sports face a steeper climb. Without ESPN’s spotlight, they miss out on:
- Casual Fans: Highlights and features turn curious viewers into loyal supporters.
- Viral Moments: A game-changing play needs ESPN’s platform to go global.
- Cultural Cachet: Being on SportsCenter makes a sport feel “big-time.”
The NFL’s ESPN deal could turn sports media into a football oligopoly, where only the NFL and other major sports thrive. Flag football gets love because it’s NFL-adjacent, women’s volleyball, despite its Olympic buzz, doesn’t. This isn’t just unfair—it’s a threat to sports diversity.
How New Sports Can Break Through
Hope isn’t lost. Emerging sports can fight back with creativity:
- Go Direct: Use YouTube, TikTok or X to build fanbases, like women’s sports have done.
- Tap in Creators as Media Partners: fans are watching less linear TV and creators have never had more influence in culture. Tap into social media and those creators that can help build fandom and stars.
- Push for Fairness: Regulators might need to ensure media access isn’t monopolized.
In short, the bad news is that it will be difficult for these new and emerging sports to grow in the traditional manner, namely, getting broad TV distribution and media coverage. The NFL and other major sports have practically elbowed them out both for distribution of live events and for media coverage of those events.
The good news is that with the rapid evolution of technology, and particularly with the advent of social media, individuals and even leagues themselves can become media companies and go directly to fans. Moreover, AI will level the playing field by providing expert and scalable capabilities at lightning speed which will arms those with a great product the ability to compete. So while traditional sports media is still a powerful force, all hope is not lost for those emerging sports trying to break through.