ESPN and DAZN Just Scored a Major Touchdown for College Football Fans Overseas
A new multi-year sublicensing agreement will bring a wide range of U.S. college football and basketball to international fans.
DAZN today announced a major step in expanding its international sports offerings, having reached a multi-year sublicensing agreement with ESPN for U.S. college football and basketball rights in select territories in Europe and the MENA region.
What’s Happening:
- DAZN has acquired live rights to an extensive library of U.S. college sports from ESPN for a multi-year period, starting with the 2025 season.
- The new content will be available to DAZN users in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Poland, Portugal, Belgium, the MENA region, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Bulgaria, and the Philippines.
- For the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), the deal is limited to college football. The college football offering will include up to 25 regular season games per week from top conferences like the SEC, ACC, and Big 12.
- Fans will also get the full College Football Playoff, the CFP National Championship, and other major bowl games.
- The iconic weekly pregame show, College GameDay, will also be available on DAZN every Saturday, along with a selection of on-demand content.
- On the basketball front, DAZN will broadcast approximately 20 games per week, featuring both men’s and women’s college basketball.
- The agreement also includes 63 games from the legendary March Madness tournaments (men's and women's), including every game from the Elite Eight, Final Four, and National Championships. For a limited time, this new U.S. college sports content will be available to all DAZN users in the selected territories for free. This agreement complements DAZN's existing North American sports portfolio, which includes NFL Game Pass (excl. China, U.S.) and NHL.TV (excl. U.S., Canada, and the Nordics).
What They’re Saying:
- Shay Segev, DAZN Group CEO: “DAZN is committed to bringing the best possible entertainment experience and a comprehensive portfolio of thrilling U.S. college football and basketball content to fans in selected territories in Europe and MENA. Working with ESPN, this agreement allows DAZN to expand its global offering of premium North American sports properties, extending beyond NFL Game Pass and NHL.TV. It also means DAZN can broaden access to exciting U.S. sports content and support top-tier leagues in growing their international fanbases."
- Diego Londono, SVP Networks & Sports EMEA at The Walt Disney Company: “We are excited to team up with DAZN to serve sports fans across Europe during the upcoming NCAA Football and Basketball seasons. Through this agreement, fans will be able to watch some of the most competitive matchups throughout the regular season, highlighted by marquee events such as the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Division I Basketball Tournaments, as well as the College Football Bowl Games and Playoff."
Beyond the Deal: The Rise of International College Sports Fandom
- The deal between ESPN and DAZN signals a growing trend of U.S. college sports expanding its global footprint. While the NFL and NBA have long been international staples, the regional nature of college sports fandom has traditionally been more insular.
- However, with the increasing globalization of media and the rise of streaming services like DAZN, which can offer curated content to specific international markets, the accessibility of these games has never been higher.
- This is a win-win for all parties involved. For DAZN, it solidifies its position as a go-to destination for American sports, attracting a new user base that may be drawn in by the free-to-view limited-time offer. For ESPN, it's a strategic way to monetize its valuable international rights in a direct and effective manner, particularly after the discontinuation of its ESPN Player service in some regions.
- And for the leagues and conferences themselves, it's an opportunity to cultivate a new generation of international fans who may follow players from their college careers all the way to the pros, or simply appreciate the unique high-stakes drama of U.S. college sports.
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