NFL finalizes $110 billion television rights package with Amazon, multiple broadcast networks
The NFL’s television rights deal is finally done. And as multiple league and union sources had been suggesting for the last several months, the total numbers are gargantuan.
A league source said the totality of the 11-year deal — barring the trigger of a 7-year opt out clause — would come in “well over” $100 billion over the length of the package of deals with Amazon, ESPN/ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX. League-owned NFL Network will also carry part of the rights as well. Sports Business Journal has also reported the 11-year package would amount to $110 billion in revenue for the NFL, translating to an annual run of $10 billion per year from 2023 to 2033.
The deal features a wide division of the league’s platform time slots split up amongst its partners. Among the staples:
The 11 Super Bowls covered will be split up between four networks, including CBS (which will carry the Super Bowl in 2023, 2027 and 2031), Fox (2024, 2028, 2032), NBC (2025, 2029, 2033) and ABC (2026 and 2030).
Amazon will own the rights to the league’s "Thursday Night Football" package starting in 2023, carrying that platform in its Amazon Prime Video network, which is part of its Prime subscription service.
ESPN will continue to own the rights to the "Monday Night Football" platform, along with selected simulcasts with ABC.
NBC will continue to own the rights to the "Sunday Night Football" platform.
CBS will continue to own the rights to AFC games on Sunday afternoons.
Fox will continue to own the rights to NFC games on Sunday afternoons.
The league’s NFL Network will continue to have its own selection of exclusive games as well.
One of the interesting wrinkles in the deal: For the first time (and in a long-awaited change) ESPN will now be allowed to flex "Monday Night Football" matchups beginning in Week 12 of the season — which should remove some of the poor games that have gotten locked into the slot in past years. The network will also have the ability to schedule as many as four teams twice in MNF slots, which should also aid the late-season flex adjustments.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement lauding the landmark deal, which amounts to the largest television rights package in the history of sports.
“We’re proud to grow our partnerships with the most innovative media companies in the market,” Goodell said. “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.”
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