Full Breakdown
CW Network and ESPN Sign Four-Year Deal to Stream 800+ Hours of CW Sports on ESPN App
4/30/2026, 9:48:07 PM
Deal Overview
The CW Network and ESPN have signed a four-year deal, effective summer 2026, that makes the ESPN App the exclusive streaming home for all CW Sports live events. The agreement adds over 800 hours of live sports per year to the ESPN Unlimited tier, covering ACC, Pac-12 and Mountain West college football and basketball, NASCAR, WWE NXT, PBA, PBR, AVP and the Arizona Bowl.
Background and Streaming Gap
Since its 2023 launch, CW Sports quickly became a broadcast hub for live sports, earning a Sports Business Awards 2026 Breakthrough of the Year finalist. Lacking a streaming platform, the network—81 % owned by Nexstar Media Group—opted for a partnership rather than launching its own app.
Scope and Viewership
CW Sports holds exclusive rights to all 33 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races through 2031. In 2025 the first 13 races each drew over one million viewers, a 10 % rise; the first ten races of 2026 also topped one million weekly, up 22 % from the prior year. College rights include 13 Pac-12 football games per season through 2030-31 and, from fall 2026, 13 Mountain West football games plus 20 men’s and 15 women’s basketball contests. CW Sports will broadcast roughly 690 hours in 2026, while ESPN Unlimited offers over 47,000 live events per year.
Official Statements
Brad Schwartz called the deal a true partnership expanding CW Sports’ reach across broadcast and streaming. Rosalyn Durant said it adds value, choice and flexibility for fans. Mike Perman said it strengthens CW’s market position. Nick Dawson said it adds robust sports content to ESPN Unlimited. Dan Lanzano said advertising will start as linear pass-through, with dynamic insertion later. Emily Horowitz said CW college football will sit alongside ESPN’s college football in the app.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Joining forces with ESPN is a monumental next step in the evolution of CW Sports,” — Brad Schwartz, President, The CW Network
- “Bringing CW Sports to the ESPN App is another step in delivering more value, choice and flexibility for fans, expanding the range of live sports available within our streaming ecosystem,” — Rosalyn Durant, Executive Vice President, ESPN Programming & Acquisitions
- “This strengthens us in the marketplace when we go out and are looking for new things,” — Mike Perman, President, CW Sports
- “It’s really about adding kind of more robust sports content to the ESPN Unlimited plan,” — Nick Dawson, Senior Vice President, Programming & Acquisitions, ESPN
What’s Next
The ESPN app will host a CW Sports hub, integrating CW events throughout. Advertising will start as linear pass-through, with dynamic insertion planned later. The partnership expands live-sports reach and enables cross-promotion.
