NFL Network Blackout Ends As Comcast, Disney Reach Deal
The agreement ended a blackout lasting more than three months.
Comcast has reached an agreement with Disney to restore the NFL Network and NFL RedZone channels to its network ahead of the 2026 NFL season. This resolution ends a dispute that had plagued the NFL Network since its disappearance from Comcast in mid-April. The deal, which also includes the league gaining a 10% equity stake in ESPN, sees Disney taking over distribution for the NFL Network and NFL RedZone.
The blackout, which affected Comcast customers, lasted from late April until the start of the preseason. Once the channels return, the NFL Network will air a preseason game between the Packers and Steelers on Thursday. The agreement does not involve a change to the channel's placement on Comcast's tiered service tiers. Comcast, with 10.67 million cable subscribers, remains a significant player in the pay-TV industry.
The deal also comes at a time when Comcast is undergoing a corporate split to separate its core connectivity businesses from NBC Sports' parent company, NBCUniversal. Despite YouTube TV being poised to become the leading pay-TV distributor in the near future, Comcast's influence remains substantial. The NFL Network blackout was a significant event in the ongoing evolution of television distribution, though its impact on consumers was relatively minor.
Written by urgent.news from Front Office Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
