ESPN and The Heisman Trophy Trust Extend Exclusive Media Rights Agreement
ESPN has reached a new multi-year agreement with The Heisman Trophy Trust to remain the exclusive home of the Heisman Trophy Ceremony. ESPN televised the 91st annual Heisman Trophy Ceremony Presented by Nissan on Saturday, Dec. 13, with ABC broadcasting the event for the first time. The 2025 Heisman Trophy Ceremony averaged 4.3 million viewers, delivering the event’s best audience since 2012 and finishing up 69% year-over-year. Viewership peaked at 5.8 million viewers during the broadcast.
With this extension, ESPN will remain the exclusive home of the Heisman Trophy Ceremony for the long term, pushing the relationship beyond 35 years since first presenting the event in 1994. The agreement reinforces ESPN’s enduring relationship with the Heisman Trophy Trust and further anchors the network as the stage for college football’s most iconic honor as it moves toward its 100th year.
“The Heisman Trophy Trust is thrilled to continue its long-standing partnership with ESPN,” said incoming Heisman Trust CEO Jeff Price. “For decades, ESPN has helped to tell the stories of the outstanding Heisman Trophy Winners, and we look forward to building on that tradition in the coming years. This partnership also accelerates our mission to harness the power of the Heisman to positively impact underserved youth, enabling us to donate millions annually to organizations that broaden opportunities for young people through sports and education.”
“ESPN is incredibly proud to continue our enduring relationship with the Heisman Trophy Trust — a collaboration that will soon span more than 35 years,” said Kurt Dargis, Senior Director of Programming, ESPN. “The Heisman Trophy remains one of the most prestigious distinctions in sports, and we’re honored to help present this moment to fans every year as we celebrate the very best of college football.”
In addition to continuing to exclusively televise the presentation of the Heisman Trophy Ceremony each year, ESPN will also continue to exclusively announce the Heisman Trophy finalists, present the Heisman Top 10 show and a Heisman Preview Show each year. Disney Advertising will also continue to collaborate with the Heisman Trust in driving sponsorship opportunities around Heisman Trophy content and programming.
