NFL in Advanced Discussions to Acquire Stake in ESPN, per Report

America's most popular sports league and network appear close to an unprecedented agreement.

America's most popular sports league and network may soon be headed for an unprecedented partnership.

The NFL is in advanced discussions to purchase equity in ESPN, Andrew Marchand of The New York Post reported Friday.

Currently, 80% of the channel is owned by The Walt Disney Company, while the other 20% is owned by Hearst Communications.

"Disney-owned ESPN would take control of NFL Media, which includes NFL Network,” Marchand reported, “and the league would receive equity in ESPN.”

ESPN, along with ABC, has been under Disney's majority ownership since 1996.

How the revenue from such an acquisition would be shared is already the subject of discussions between NFL owners and players, according to Marchand.

Disney CEO Bob Iger stated in November that ESPN intends to offer a direct-to-consumer version of its product by 2025, a transition that a deal with the NFL seems like it could plausibly facilitate.