EverPass Media has reached a significant multi-year licensing agreement with ESPN to bring ESPN+ streaming content directly to commercial venues such as bars, restaurants, hotels, and other public establishments. This deal, effective from October, adds over 2,200 live sporting events annually to EverPass’s platform, broadening the range of premium sports content available for commercial customers.
The agreement means that venues subscribing to EverPass will gain access to ESPN+ as a standalone package designed specifically for commercial use. This offering includes a wide and diverse sports lineup, from college football and basketball spanning conferences like the SEC, ACC, Big 12, and Big East to exclusive NHL games, UFC Fight Nights, PGA Tour events, and premier international soccer leagues such as LaLiga and the Bundesliga.
Launching in 2023 as a joint venture supported by the NFL, RedBird Capital Partners, and later invested in by TKO (parent company to WWE and UFC), EverPass positioned itself as a specialist in sports streaming to commercial businesses. The company’s core service originally centered around NFL’s Sunday Ticket, providing a much-needed alternative distribution channel when traditional pay-TV options grew more fragmented. Adding ESPN+ drastically expands that portfolio, capturing highly sought-after content that bars and restaurants use to drive customer engagement and foot traffic.
Alex Kaplan, CEO of EverPass Media, stressed that the deal is more than just about access to content. He noted that working with ESPN “brings year-round streaming content” from some of the most iconic sports leagues to venues aiming to attract patrons who expect live sports viewing as part of their visit. This expanded package equips venues with premium sports programming that can create energy and offer entertainment options beyond typical cable packages. Kaplan said the partnership reflects EverPass’s broader goal to be the go-to platform for commercial sports streaming by “aggregating the content that matters most to fans” and making it accessible through a single platform streamlined for business owners.
ESPN+ programming available through EverPass includes live college football and basketball, comprehensive NHL coverage including about 50 exclusive games per regular season, the most popular European soccer competitions, UFC Fight Nights through the end of 2025, and other events in golf, tennis, cricket, and lacrosse. This diverse offering caters to various sports interests that can entice different customer segments in food and drink venues.
While ESPN recently launched its own direct-to-consumer streaming app that bundles ESPN+ content, this commercial-focused deal with EverPass separates the service specifically for businesses, which face unique licensing complexities when streaming to public venues. It ensures that bars and restaurants have a legal and straightforward way to access this exclusive content without cumbersome negotiations with multiple rights holders or risking unauthorized public performance.
EverPass’s trajectory since its 2023 inception has been marked by a series of strategic partnerships and expansions. Besides NFL Sunday Ticket games, the company offers access to NFL streaming games via Amazon Prime Video, Premier League and Big Ten coverage via Peacock Sports Pass, NBA games, UEFA Champions League through Paramount+, and more. This ESPN+ agreement represents its most notable content expansion yet and positions EverPass as a key integrator of streaming sports content for commercial applications in an evolving broadcast landscape.
The timing of this deal aligns with ongoing shifts in sports media rights as more broadcasters increasingly favor streaming exclusives. As live sports remain a dominant driver of viewing, commercial venues need reliable sources to access premium events that patrons expect. EverPass aims to fill that role, simplifying the technical and legal barriers by aggregating multiple premium sports rights in one place with a seamless commercial offering.
For bar and restaurant owners, this means the ability to offer a richer sports lineup that might otherwise be fragmented or inaccessible, especially as some broadcasts move off traditional cable networks. Drawing live sports fans can boost revenue on game days and encourage regular patronage, making sports streaming an essential part of the entertainment mix in public venues.
This new ESPN+ streaming deal highlights an important evolution in how commercial sports viewing is supplied, leveraging direct partnerships between rights holders and platforms focused on commercial customers. As EverPass continues to grow with backing from major sports investors and media companies, it looks to become the definitive source for live sports content in the hospitality sector.
