Extra Game Helps NFL Score $4.4B in Ad Revenue

The NFL was a more valuable media property than ever last year.

The league generated a record $4.4 billion in advertising revenue for its media partners, according to a report by Standard Media Index — a 14% increase over the 2020-21 season.

• The league added a 17th game to the regular-season schedule, growing ad inventory.
• 30-second ad spots increased 3% on average from the previous year to $480,000.
• Late buys on ads reached $600,000, and up to $800,000 for “Sunday Night Football” on NBC.

NFL games comprised 75 of the 100 most-watched broadcasts in 2021.

Pricey Rights

While the $4.4 billion figure is impressive, it pales in comparison to what the NFL charges its broadcasters for the rights to show its games.

The league’s deals with CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, and Amazon will collectively bring in around $10 billion per season for 11 years, starting with the 2023 season. 

That’s before adding in NFL Sunday Ticket, which the league is hoping to sell for $2.5 billion annually. The NFL is looking for a streaming service to take the out-of-market games package, with Google, Amazon, and Apple all reportedly interested.

The league is also launching its own streaming service, NFL+, which will allow fans to watch games within the NFL app. The service could reportedly cost $5 per month.