A blockbuster deal between the NFL and ESPN that would clear the way for the Disney-owned sports network to purchase several of the league's top media assets could face a key hurdle before it clears: President Trump.

The deal is part of a pivotal move further into streaming for Disney — the parent company of ABC News, which Trump and his allies have regularly attacked over its coverage of his administration and its corporate diversity policies.

Here are five things to know about the ESPN-NFL deal and the scrutiny it could face from the Trump administration.

Disney is betting big on a streamed future

As the value of its traditional broadcast channels and assets has declined, Disney has for years poured hundreds of millions of dollars into livestreamed sports, scripted entertainment offerings and non-linear news coverage.

The company plans to launch a new ESPN direct-to-consumer streaming platform this fall, and its deal to acquire the NFL's “RedZone” brand and other broadcast assets is being widely seen as Disney’s biggest bet yet that increased pro football coverage will lure new subscribers.

But Trump looms large over the deal, which is expected to need approval from the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission given the 10 percent stake in ESPN the NFL is set to receive.

“Trump clearly is the wild card in this whole thing,” said Dan Rayburn, a consultant specializing in streamed media. “We already know how he likes to throw his weight around, and he’s had some problems with Disney in the past. So, there’s only so much they and the NFL can control here.”

When the two sides announced the agreement, which some analysts have estimated could be valued at more than $1 billion, Disney and the NFL did not indicate how quickly the deal would close, an omission seen by some in the business as an acknowledgement it could face........

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