Sports Leagues Will Make $17 Billion From TV and Other Media by 2017

Sports leagues will generate more than $17 billion in revenue selling rights to TV networks and other media companies by 2017, according to a new study by PricewaterhouseCoopers. That marks a 42 percent jump from what they will make this year. ESPN, Fox, CBS and NBC already fork over billions of dollars every year for the rights to broadcast the NFL, NBA and other sports. The ESPN pays $1.9 billion a year for the rights to “Monday Night Football” and other NFL footage (and makes a profit anyways). North American sports leagues are expected to generate $12.4 billion in revenue from selling those media rights in 2013, a nearly 50 percent jump from what the industry made in 2008. PwC projects those numbers will only continue to grow, and revenue from media rights will grow at a faster pace than any other source for sports leagues. The rights for certain leagues will become available in the coming years, including the NBA, which is why PwC is projecting an 18.8 percent jump in 2014.