ESPN RENEWS DEAL WITH NFL — FOR $15.2 BILLION

Get set for another increase in cable subscription fees. ESPN has negotated an eight-year extension of its broadcast-rights deal with the NFL at $1.9 billion a year — or $15.2 billion over the eight years. The deal extends the current deal, which runs through 2013 but which costs ESPN $1.1 billion a year — 73 percent less than what the new contract calls for. Reporting the deal, the New York Times said that it was not known whether it will give ESPN the rights to carry a playoff game or put it into the rotation to carry the Super Bowl. The contract will allow it to add 500 new hours of NFL-branded studio shows and to stream all of its NFL programming to Verizon cellphones.