Looming NFL negotiations are holding up other sports deals
Looming NFL negotiations are holding up other sports deals
The NFL is virtually guaranteed to begin renegotiating its TV deals this fall, and that has programmers holding onto their cash.
The NFL is set to flex its muscles in a major way this fall. That’s when the league is widely expected to begin negotiating with potential TV and streaming partners about its next TV deal. Ostensibly, the NFL’s current deals with CBS, ESPN, Fox, NBC, and Prime Video continue through the 2032-33 season, but an opt-out clause will let the NFL exit its agreements as soon as 2029. That’s essentially guaranteed to happen, and the NFL will begin listening to offers for various rights packages as soon as this fall. A new report indicates programmers are already setting aside room in their budgets to accommodate the league’s demands for a raise.
Key Details:
- Can we afford it?: Media companies are already running numbers to ensure they can afford to pursue the NFL this fall.
- You’ll have to wait: NHL and PGA officials have been unable to gain traction with networks in trying to start their own negotiations for new rights deals.
- To streaming you go: The league has already begun talks with streamers about a package of international games that formerly streamed on NFL Network.
John Ourand of Puck News reports that media companies are already setting aside money to ensure they can afford to be in the conversation for NFL rights packages when the league solicits bids starting this fall. The NBA’s ability to more than double the value of its rights deal in its last negotiation cycle has programmers convinced — and anxious — that the league is set to surpass that precedent by a large margin.
Ourand reports that some networks are putting off negotiations with other leagues until they have a clearer idea of the NFL’s asking price. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and the PGA Tour’s CEO Brian Rolapp have both been met with a reluctance to discuss new TV deals for their respective leagues.
Fox doesn’t seem intimidated by what’s sure to be a large asking price from the NFL. During his conference call to discuss the company’s fourth quarter 2025 earnings with analysts, Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch said that the company is prepared to “rebalance” the network’s inventory of live sports to compensate for higher rights fees the NFL is sure to demand. In fact, Murdoch said last year that he saw an opt-out by the league as an opportunity to add more games to Fox platforms.
Streaming services figure to have a seat at the table in the next round of NFL deals, as well. I think Netflix will seriously pursue the NFL this fall, and Prime Video could angle for a larger parcel of games as well. Platforms with global reach and deep pockets will at least be considered by the league, but they may have to pay an extra premium to make up for their lack of ad revenue as compared to linear platforms.
In fact, the NFL is already speaking with streamers about the league’s package of international games, per Ourand. NFL Media properties have been sold to ESPN, but the league still has a package of five international games that used to air on NFL Network to license. Ourand says the games are being marketed to the “usual suspects,” which will no doubt include Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Video.
The NFL broadcasting landscape may look very different in a few years, and viewers could have an idea of how things are shaping up as soon as this fall. The league will start talking to networks and streaming services about its next round of contracts at that time, likely generating some eye-popping new figures that could have fans groaning about the number of platforms they’ll have to have to watch games in the next TV deal.
Prime Video
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