NFL signs new deal with media partners
The NFL announced it has signed 11year agreements with media partners Amazon, CBS, ESPN/ABC, Fox and NBC to distribute games over TV and digital platforms, starting in 2023 and running through the 2033 season.
“These new media deals will provide our fans even greater access to the games they love,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a written statement. “We’re proud to grow our partnerships with the most innovative media companies in the market. Along with our recently completed labor agreement with the NFLPA, these distribution agreements bring an unprecedented era of stability to the League and will permit us to continue to grow and improve our game.”
Among the deals, according to the league, are the following.
: AMAZON: In the league’s first all-digital package, Amazon Prime Video has acquired the rights to be the exclusive home of “Thursday Night Football” across hundreds of compatible digital devices. The NFL and Amazon first partnered on
Thursday night games during the 2017 season.
: CBS: CBS retains the rights for the AFC package of Sunday afternoon games. In addition to the CBS network, all those games will be streamed live on Paramount+, Viacomcbs’ flagship streaming service. CBS is the league’s longest-running media partner, having first televised NFL games in 1956.
: ESPN: ESPN will continue to be the NFL’S television partner for “Monday Night Football.” Additionally, ABC has acquired the rights to televise two Super
Bowls, along with exclusive regular season games. ESPN+ can stream one International Series game on an exclusive national basis every season, and the new agreement allows ESPN to simulcast all ABC and ESPN games on ESPN+. The new agreement for ESPN covers 11 years, including a 10-year deal beginning in 2023 and a bridge year deal in 2022.
: FOX: Fox has renewed its agreement to produce the NFC package of Sunday afternoon games that it acquired in 1994. Fox expanded its digital rights, including for its on-demand streaming platform Tubi to deliver NFL programming. “America’s Game of the Week” has been the most-watched show in all of television for the last 12 seasons and the most-watched NFL window for the last 20 seasons.
: NBC: “Sunday Night Football,” the No. 1 prime-time show on TV for the 10th consecutive year, will continue to be produced by NBC Sports. In addition to simulcasting all “Sunday Night Football” games, Peacock, Nbcuniversal’s streaming service, will deliver an exclusive feed of a select number of NFL games over the course of the agreement. NBC first acquired its package of prime-time games in 2006.