EverPass vs FOX Sports

DAZN to Acquire EverPass Media, Accelerating U.S. Expansion and Strengthening Its Next-Generation Commercial Distribution Platform

DAZN to Acquire EverPass Media, Accelerating U.S. Expansion and Strengthening Its Next-Generation Commercial Distribution Platform

DAZN to Acquire EverPass, Gains NFL Sunday Ticket Rights

DAZN announced it will acquire EverPass, the commercial distributor that holds the exclusive rights to distribute NFL Sunday Ticket to bars, restaurants, casinos and other venues. The deal gives DAZN control of commercial distribution for the out-of-market NFL Sunday afternoon package and brings a proven venue distribution platform and rights portfolio into DAZN’s U.S. expansion. EverPass and DIRECTV previously announced an agreement in July 2026 to bring NFL Sunday Ticket to commercial venues by streaming and satellite. DAZN says existing EverPass customers will see no service interruption, and the NFL expressed support for the transaction as a way to expand reach in commercial locations.

• DAZN announced it will acquire EverPass, the company that distributes licensed sports properties to commercial venues.
• EverPass holds the exclusive commercial distribution rights for NFL Sunday Ticket to bars, restaurants, casinos and similar venues.
• EverPass and DIRECTV announced in July 2026 an agreement to bring NFL Sunday Ticket to commercial venues via streaming and satellite.

Merriman: Lights Out Sports to Cut CDN Costs via 5G Broadcasting

In an interview, Shawne Merriman, former NFL player and founder of Lights Out Sports TV, discusses the high costs of content delivery networks (CDNs) for live sports streaming. He highlights the potential of 5G broadcast technology to reduce these costs by sending one signal to many viewers rather than millions of individual streams. Merriman also shares insights on revenue strategies, emphasizing direct ad sales over programmatic for monetization. He mentions upcoming high school football productions with exclusive rights and fan engagement initiatives. The interview covers the evolution from traditional broadcasting to streaming and the financial pressures facing major networks.

• Lights Out Sports TV is a new sports streaming platform founded by Shawne Merriman.
• Merriman says CDN costs are the primary challenge for live sports streaming.
• The company aims to use 5G broadcast chips to distribute single signals to many viewers, reducing costs.

NHRA Moves to FloRacing in 2027

The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and FloSports announced a five-year media partnership that will make FloRacing the streaming home for NHRA drag racing starting with the 2027 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. FloRacing will stream all 20 national events, including qualifying and eliminations, plus original programming. NHRA.tv will transition after the 2026 season. Additionally, FOX Sports will continue to carry NHRA in 2027, while The CW will join the television lineup for the final seven events. Specific 2027 pricing for NHRA coverage has not been announced; current FloRacing plans start at $12.99 per month (annual) or $39.99 month-to-month.

• NHRA and FloSports entered a five-year media partnership starting with the 2027 season.
• FloRacing will stream all 20 NHRA national events, including qualifying and eliminations.
• The service will transition from NHRA.tv to FloRacing after the 2026 season.

Freedom 250 Sports Events Produced Mixed TV/Streaming Results

The Freedom 250 events tied to America’s 250th birthday delivered widely varying audience outcomes. IndyCar’s inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. averaged 3.282 million viewers on FOX — its largest non-Indy 500 TV audience since 1995 and a 279% peak versus 2025 Sunday IndyCar broadcasts. UFC’s Freedom 250 at the White House was the biggest streaming success, reaching 17 million viewers across the U.S. and Latin America and averaging 8.2 million on Paramount+, which saw a 276% spike in downloads. ABC’s Patriot Games underperformed with a 1.214 million average on ABC and the ESPN app. The results highlight the differing reach of linear broadcast and streaming for major live events and the promotional lift such events can create for streaming services.

• IndyCar’s inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. averaged 3.282 million viewers on FOX.
• The IndyCar Freedom 250 peaked at 3.482 million viewers and represents the most-watched IndyCar race outside the Indianapolis 500 since 1995.
• UFC’s Freedom 250 (White House) reached 17 million viewers in the U.S. and Latin America and averaged 8.2 million on Paramount+.