On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including new insight into the financial heft of the NFL, the world’s richest sports league.
The league brought in a record $11 billion in shared revenue last season, according to a recent Sportico report, a figure that encompasses the NFL’s media deals, its national sponsorships, its sports betting deals and a handful of other categories. That means each team received a roughly $345 million check last year, before adding its own local revenue from tickets, concessions, advertisers, local merchandise sales, etc.
The salary cap last year, for reference, was about $182 million. The figures underline the financial strength of the league and help explain why the Denver Broncos recently sold for $4.65 billion. It will get even better for the league’s 32 owners—when the NFL’s next set of TV deals kick in, the total national revenue figure will eclipse $12.8 billion.
The hosts also talk about a looming price hike for ESPN+—Disney is raising the cost of the service 43%, to $9.99 per month from $6.99 per month. They also discuss Washington Nationals star Juan Soto, who reportedly turned down a 15-year, $440 million contract extension as the team seeks a new owner.
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