Extra Points: Disney-Fox, Verizon-NFL, NFL Network Suspensions

Disney is now unopposed in its quest to acquire much of 21st Century Fox after Comcast dropped out of the talks, Variety reported Monday. Comcast, which had been a dark horse in negotiations, said Monday that it “never got the level of engagement needed to make a definitive offer.”

Disney and Fox are expected to announce a deal in the coming days. Fox would sell Disney $60-70 billion in assets, including the Fox Sports regional sports networks — which are worth $22.4 billion alone, according to estimates cited last week by The Los Angeles Times. Disney, which is redoubling its commitment to streaming programming, would acquire a massive library of content (including incongruous fits like The Simpsons) and a potentially industry-changing slew of local sports TV rights. [Variety 12.11, L.A. Times 12.6]

The NFL has reached a $500 million/year extension with Verizon to allow the mobile carrier to continue streaming live NFL games on its platforms, including Yahoo! Sports, it was announced Monday. Under the new deal, which goes into effect next month, Verizon’s NFL streams will no longer be exclusive to its subscribers, letting viewers on any mobile network stream the package of in-market and national games.

The rights fee is double what Verizon is currently paying ($250M/year, per Sports Business Daily) and a tenfold increase over the deal’s original price tag in 2010 ($50M). Individually, NBC, FOX and CBS are now paying only twice as much to broadcast NFL games as Verizon is to air nonexclusive simulcasts. [NFL PR 12.11, Sports Business Daily 12.11]

NFL Network has suspended analysts Marshall Faulk, Heath Evans and Ike Taylor pending the results of an investigation into alleged misconduct. Faulk, Evans and Taylor were among a handful of current and former NFL Network personnel accused of sexual harassment in a lawsuit filed by a former employee, according to Bloomberg. [Bloomberg 12.11]