Disney faces choice between Jimmy Kimmel and NFL deal as ESPN ties loom

The Walt Disney Co. could be forced to choose between keeping Jimmy Kimmel Live! on the air and protecting a multibillion-dollar ESPN deal with the NFL, according to a Front Office Sports report. The outlet cites well-placed sources who say Disney may ultimately have to make a hard choice that may not be much of a choice at all—likely meaning shelving the late-night program. ESPN’s arrangement with the NFL would involve ESPN taking a 10% equity stake valued at roughly $2 billion to $3 billion in exchange for the NFL Network, RedZone and fantasy-football assets. The pact is subject to regulatory approvals from agencies that operate under the Trump administration.

Insiders told Front Office Sports that the White House could seek to torpedo the pact as part of broader leverage over media mergers. The report notes that President Donald Trump has a long, combative history with the NFL, and that Ari Fleischer, former White House press secretary, described the potential move as political catnip that could complicate a straightforward commercial transaction. Disney’s decision would come amid a political dynamic that has the potential to shape the fate of a high-profile sports-media deal.

Meanwhile, the late-night controversy surrounding Kimmel deepened the Disney-ESPN crisis. ABC, a Disney subsidiary, pulled Kimmel’s long-running Jimmy Kimmel Live! after remarks about the Sept. 10 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, citing staff safety and advertiser concerns. Disney has not set a timetable for resuming the program. Insiders told Bloomberg that negotiations over Kimmel’s fate continue, with executives waiting to see whether political anger cools before deciding his future. Kimmel, who earns an estimated $16 million a year and has hosted ABC’s late-night lineup for 22 years, has not commented beyond social-media posts defending his monologues. His contract runs through 2026, and he has previously hinted at retirement when it expires.

Some potential successors have been floated within ESPN’s ranks, though the discussions center on whether Kimmel can be brought back without inflaming the broader dispute. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who once guest-hosted Kimmel’s show, voiced support for Kimmel on his YouTube channel, saying he was not happy about the suspension but acknowledged Kimmel’s impact. The controversy has also drawn attention from the political sphere, with Trump pressing critics and defending broadcasters as licensed entities.

Industry observers noted that Disney affiliates Nexstar and Sinclair have hesitated to air Kimmel’s program without an apology, underscoring the scale of the commercial pressure on the network. Ultimately, Disney executives have weighed different options, including reinstatement under negotiated terms or a prolonged absence if the company fears advertiser backlash or staff safety concerns. Any decision would intersect with ESPN’s NFL deal, which continues to loom as a landmark, multi-billion-dollar anchor for Disney’s broader sports strategy.

Beyond the Kimmel episode, the relationship between Disney’s leadership and political forces remains a factor in the NFL pact. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has sought to keep relations warm with the White House and the league’s political environment, including appearances with Trump at events tied to the league’s profile. Trump’s engagement with the NFL and its media reach adds a layer of uncertainty to a transaction that, on paper, would be among the most significant media deals of the year.

For Disney, the outcome could reverberate across its corporate strategy. The NFL deal, with its mix of network assets and equity, represents a bet on sports as a core driver of subscription and advertising growth. Any disruption to ESPN’s ability to monetize the arrangement or to preserve its on-air talent could prompt a strategic recalibration at the company as it navigates a crowded media landscape that includes streaming and live sports rights competition.