Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Goodell Gives Fall Deadline for NFL Sunday Ticket Decision

  • The NFL is seeking $2.5 billion to $3 billion annually for rights.
  • DirecTV will pay $1.5 billion for the 2022 season.
Gary Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday that the league will secure a deal for its NFL Sunday Ticket package with a streaming service by the fall — after more than 25 years on DirecTV. 

Amazon, Apple, and Disney are poised to contend for Sunday Ticket, which allows subscribers to watch every NFL game on Sundays regardless of their home market. 

  • The NFL is seeking $2.5 billion to $3 billion annually for rights.
  • DirecTV has held rights to the package since 1994 — its current deal ends after 2022.
  • DirecTV will pay $1.5 billion for the 2022 season. 

The NFL is also looking to bundle Sunday Ticket with a stake in NFL Media, which includes the NFL Network, NFL RedZone, and NFL.com.

America’s most popular professional sports league continues to be a hot commodity. In March 2021, the NFL finalized its media rights deals with CBS, NBC, FOX, and Amazon. 

The deals — which begin in 2023 — are believed to be worth $113 billion over 11 seasons. 

Amazon will pay $1 billion per year for exclusive rights to “Thursday Night Football,” while Disney-owned ESPN will pay $2.7 billion annually to broadcast “Monday Night Football.” 

Committed to Live Sports 

Apple would diversify its portfolio of sports-related investments with a deal with the NFL. 

In March, the tech giant made its first foray into live sports when it secured media rights to stream MLB in a deal worth $85 million annually.

Last month, it agreed to a deal worth at least $2.5 billion to stream MLS matches.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Stafford Signs $55 Million Extension With Rams

The 2025 NFL Most Valuable Player receives a sizable pay increase.
exclusive

World Cup Will Block Notorious Dallas Glare for At Least One Game

FIFA will use the curtains for a 6 p.m. kickoff match this summer.

Political Sparring Intensifies Over Bears’ $5B Stadium Future

The stadium saga is the center of a growing political fight.

NFL Pushes Back on Criticism Over TV and Streaming Deals

The league remains steadfast in its overall media approach.

Featured Today

May 24, 2026; Evanston, IL, USA; Northwestern Wildcats attack Kathryn Ratanaproeksa (13) shoots against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half at Martin Stadium

Can Women’s Lacrosse Buck the Trend in College Sports?

The sport is fighting to prove its worth in the revenue-sharing era.
May 22, 2026

Big Money on the Line on Premier League’s Final Day

Arsenal has won the title, but millions are still at stake.
Texas State mascot
May 22, 2026

Mascot-Reveal Videos Are the Newest College Sports Tradition

Student mascot unmasking videos are going mega-viral.
Charlie Pliner and Nikolas Rohrmann
May 22, 2026

How 2 Brown Undergrads Became Sports Dealmakers

An experimental project turned into a permanent course and business deal network.
Sponsored

The Hidden Economy of Race Weekend

Learn more about the Vintage Flying Museum and how Spectrum Business is helping them achieve their business goals while fueling their dreams.
May 21, 2026

CBS, TNT Sports Parents Face New Merger Scrutiny by Lawmakers

A group of six U.S. senators raises concerns about the proposed megadeal.
May 16, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Ronda Rousey (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Gina Carano (red gloves) after a women's featherweight bout at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
May 21, 2026

How Jake Paul’s MVP Plans to Build on Netflix MMA Debut

Saturday’s debut averaged 12.4 million viewers on Netflix.
Sponsored

The Hidden Economy of Race Weekend

Learn more about the Vintage Flying Museum and how Spectrum Business is helping them achieve their business goals while fueling their dreams.
May 20, 2026

NHL Playoffs Deliver Record Second-Round Ratings for ESPN, TNT

The Canadiens-Sabres series brought additional audience milestones.
The University of Alabama showed off renovations to Bryant Denny Stadium Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020. Sports Illustrated covers decorate the walls inside the new press box. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]
May 20, 2026

Sports Illustrated Defends Its Standards After Plagiarism Incident

SI removed its prediction-markets affiliate following accusations of plagiarism.
Racin' With The Boys
exclusive
May 20, 2026

‘Bussin’ With the Boys’ Launching New NASCAR Show

Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions will produce the show.
May 19, 2026

Is Sports Coverage the Solution to ‘Google Zero’?

The glossy mag is betting sports coverage can arrest a traffic decline.