The NFL may soon be crossing the goal line with more games on streaming services. CNBC’s Alex Sherman reported that the league plans to split the four games ESPN gave back to the NFL between YouTube and Netflix, while also adding one more game for one of the big global streamers.
According to the report, Netflix will return with two Christmas Day games this year, the final season of its current three-year deal, and wants to renew that package. YouTube, meanwhile, already has a major NFL foothold through its Sunday Ticket relationship, and it was previously reported that the league and YouTube were in advanced talks on a deal for five regular-season games per year. CNBC’s new report suggests the NFL may now be splitting those games between YouTube and Netflix.
Even with the league’s streaming push, the NFL’s backbone is still its long-term media agreements with Amazon, CBS, ESPN/ABC, FOX, and NBC, which the league signed in 2021. That deal runs through the 2033 season, but the NFL is expected to opt out sooner and capitalize on its higher domestic rights value vs. five years ago. It was previously reported that the NFL is seeking roughly double the amount that the league’s partners are currently paying.
Under the NFL’s current deal, most of its games are still easy to find on free broadcast TV. Some analysts have warned that the NFL is the cable bundles’ final lifeline and the “glue” that is holding traditional TV together. This comes at a time when the professional football league is under more scrutiny than ever.
Regulators Are Taking a Closer Look
Recently, the Department of Justice launched an investigation into the NFL to determine whether it has engaged in anticompetitive practices through its media rights agreements. The FCC has also launched an inquiry into the broader trend of sports moving behind streaming services. NFL executives met with the FCC staffers last month, reportedly stressing that more than 87% of its games air on free broadcast television, while noting that 100% of local-market games remain on local over-the-air TV. As regulators look at the league’s distribution model and the Sports Broadcasting Act exemption, the NFL seems to view its moves toward streaming as not a replacement for broadcast so much as an added layer on top of it.
ESPN’s Bigger NFL Role as the Super Bowl Goes to Disney
CNBC also said Disney may be the most NFL-forward media company this year, noting that ESPN will broadcast the Super Bowl in 2027 for the first time, with ABC simulcasting the game for cord cutters who do not have cable. CNBC added that ESPN is trying to prove its direct-to-consumer strategy is working, while also warning that rising sports rights costs could push ESPN Unlimited higher in price down the road.
ESPN’s new NFL-heavy role is tied to the league’s broader media reshuffle. Earlier this year, Disney’s ESPN acquired NFL Network and other league media assets in exchange for a 10% equity stake. The agreement led to four ESPN games moving to NFL Network, which the league is looking to split between Netflix and YouTube, per the report.
More Games, More Platforms, More Pressure
Now with more inventory to sell, streamers are looking to scope and score as digital growth appears to be a bigger part of the league’s strategy every season. The NFL is aggressively expanding internationally, which could also lead to a new rights package in the near future. The league has increasingly used international games to test streaming distribution models, including exclusive and free streaming broadcasts.
International matchups are a likely battleground for future deals involving Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, and other platforms. Though putting more games behind paywalls has fueled growing backlash from lawmakers in Washington D.C., the NFL is still deeply tied to FOX, CBS, NBC, ABC, and ESPN, as it continues to reshape how fans watch games.
Credit: CNBC
