2026 media predictions from 16 nameless executives

It is time for everybody’s favourite vacation custom — CNBC’s annual nameless media govt predictions!

CNBC spoke with 16 of essentially the most highly effective and influential executives in U.S. media, sports activities and leisure, who all supplied a prediction for the 12 months forward, beneath the situation of anonymity so they may converse freely and make daring bets.

This 12 months, we break the forecasts into three classes: M&A predictions, sports activities predictions and miscellaneous. Earlier than we start, just a few shoutouts from final 12 months’s listing. (Yow will discover the complete slate right here.)

One govt predicted Comcast would purchase the studio and streaming belongings of Warner Bros. Discovery and merge them with NBCUniversal. Shut! Comcast did bid on these belongings, however WBD in the end selected a suggestion from Netflix. It is now going through a hostile bid from Paramount Skydance. Extra on that to return on this 12 months’s predictions, as you’d think about.

One other govt predicted 2025 would see a number of TV broadcast mergers, and that is form of been the case — Tegna and Nexstar introduced a deal, and Sinclair has made a so far unsuccessful hostile bid to amass E.W. Scripps.

One more guessed an enormous tech firm would purchase videogame maker Digital Arts. Not dangerous. The customer wasn’t large tech, however EA did promote to a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund and personal fairness agency Silver Lake.

And one govt final 12 months just about nailed it. They mentioned the sports activities streaming service Venu would by no means launch (it did not), and that Fox would license its sports activities content material to Disney’s ESPN (Fox did launch a bundle with ESPN for $39.99 monthly that mixes the 2 corporations’ sports activities programming for people who stream).

With out additional ado, here is this 12 months’s listing:

Govt 1: Paramount will purchase all of Warner Bros. Discovery

Needed to get this one out of the best way. This govt predicted Paramount will in the end persuade the WBD board to nix its cope with Netflix and promote the whole firm to the Ellison household and their monetary backers.

Govt 2: Apple will purchase NBCUniversal

Now we’re getting daring! This govt predicted that whereas Comcast Chief Govt Officer Brian Roberts loves the media enterprise and wished to personal and management a mixed NBCU-WBD, he’ll have to simply accept that with Warner Bros. out of the image, there’s merely no deal left for him. This govt mentioned Apple each needs and must bulk up in media to remain related, and NBCU is the most effective prize obtainable.

Frankly, it is simply good to listen to an Apple M&A prediction that is not Disney.

Govt 3: Amazon or YouTube will purchase NBCUniversal belongings

Alongside related strains, this govt mentioned WBD will set a brand new, greater EBITDA a number of for media belongings. That might lead Roberts to promote NBCU now — or no less than, Peacock and Common, the streaming and studio belongings of NBCU. This govt hedged their prediction, although, and mentioned the theme parks might or will not be a part of a sale.

To go off potential antitrust questions, this govt hypothesized {that a} tech firm may be allowed to run a broadcast community like NBC if NBC’s owned-and-operated stations had been offered individually.

Govt 4: Paramount will lose WBD, divest CBS, purchase NBCUniversal

Sure, a deal involving NBCU was fairly fashionable this spherical. If Paramount does not find yourself with WBD, it wants a backup plan to realize scale. NBCUniversal and Peacock could be a pleasant comfort prize, however regulators nearly definitely would not permit Paramount to personal each CBS and NBC. So, this govt guessed Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison will hive off CBS (extra on CBS Information Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss later) and hold NBC to entice Roberts to promote.

Govt 5: Comcast will purchase Roku

Not so quick on promoting NBCU, mentioned this govt. Comcast nonetheless has one other transfer to make. Roku has a market capitalization of about $16 billion. It is a transfer Roberts could make that each will get Comcast into nationwide video distribution whereas additionally including Roku’s media belongings to NBCU.

Govt 6: Paramount will lose WBD and purchase Primary Road Sports activities

Here is an attention-grabbing one — this govt predicted Paramount will purchase the corporate previously often known as Diamond Sports activities Group. That will make Paramount an proprietor of 15 regional sports activities networks (and a partial proprietor of the YES Community), one other manner of pushing ahead Ellison’s sports activities aspirations.

Govt 7: Each Males’s March Insanity and the Faculty Soccer Playoffs will increase subsequent 12 months

Not the boldest prediction on the listing, however maybe the most effective wager at coming to fruition. The NCAA is contemplating upping the variety of males’s groups within the tourney from 68 to 76. The CFP might increase from 12 to 16 groups — or maybe much more. This govt thinks it would occur in 2026.

Govt 8: The NFL will ink new, prolonged offers with its present media companions

A number of ink has been spilled on the aggressive threats of YouTube and Netflix to the normal media corporations. The epitome of that menace is taking dwell NFL video games away from the broadcasters and ESPN.

This govt predicted the NFL will be certain that this does not occur by extending contracts with CBS, NBC, ABC/ESPN and Fox in 2026. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell advised CNBC in September he is open to beginning these renewal talks as quickly as subsequent 12 months.

Govt 9: Amazon will purchase a brand new NFL worldwide bundle

Goodell has talked about increasing the league’s worldwide video games to 16 per season involving all 32 groups. This govt estimated the league will store this bundle of video games subsequent 12 months to at least one purchaser, and Amazon Prime Video will complement its Thursday Evening Soccer bundle with a Sunday bundle of video games overseas.

Govt 10: The NFL’s acceleration of media rights talks will push MLB and NHL to additionally pull ahead their talks to 2026

This govt figured there’s solely a lot cash to go round for the massive media corporations. As a substitute of ready for the NFL to do its deal in 2026 and having to dwell off what’s left over, it could be a greater strategic transfer for the MLB and NHL to remain forward of the NFL to maximise media rights worth.

Govt 11: Conventional media corporations will make extreme cuts to their linear community leisure spending to afford holding on to the NFL and different sports activities

It is the identical logic right here by way of the limitation of media budgets. This govt predicted media corporations will probably be compelled to slash their non-sports budgets to afford an enormous enhance coming from the NFL — and the fallout will start in 2026.

Govt 12: Each the WNBA and MLB will announce lockouts

The WNBA’s collective bargaining negotiations are already underway with a brand new deadline of Jan. 9. The Girls’s Nationwide Basketball Participant’s Affiliation Govt Director Terri Carmichael Jackson advised CNBC this week she’s been annoyed with the tempo of discussions.

MLB’s collective bargaining settlement expires Dec. 1, 2026. This govt predicted each leagues may have lockouts as homeowners and gamers cannot agree on new CBAs in time.

Govt 13: Disney will title Josh D’Amaro to be its subsequent CEO, changing Bob Iger on the finish of the 12 months

You knew there’d be a Disney CEO prediction on the listing. Disney is meant to call Iger’s successor in early 2026. Josh D’Amaro runs the parks and resorts division and is taken into account to be one among two favorites, together with co-chair of Disney Leisure, Dana Walden.

Govt 14: Marjorie Taylor Greene turns into a member of “The View”

Hey, a few of these are out of the field! Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia introduced in November that she would resign from Congress efficient Jan. 5. Her subsequent cease may very well be ABC’s daytime discuss present “The View,” in accordance with this govt.

Govt 15: Bari Weiss will turn into the anchor of her personal new eponymous CBS Information program

CBS Information’ Weiss, named editor-in-chief in October, is already moderating city halls on the community and has promised “many extra conversations like this within the weeks and months forward.” This govt predicted Weiss will use this as a launch pad for her personal hosted present.

Govt 16: “In 2026, Hollywood goes to stage a mass boycott of the ‘digital trades’ after discovering they’re irrelevant, inane and ceaselessly inaccurate.”

I am together with this one, phrase for phrase, so the “digital trades” (Puck, The Ankler, and many others.) may have one thing to invest about of their subsequent newsletters and podcast episodes. Which firebrand Hollywood govt made this brash prediction? Free content material, from me to you. Now that is a Christmas present!

Comfortable holidays!

Disclosure: Comcast is the mother or father firm of NBCUniversal, which owns CNBC. Versant would turn into the brand new mother or father firm of CNBC upon Comcast’s deliberate spinoff of Versant.