Despite limited fans in stadiums and a global pandemic, the NFL managed to raise national revenues by $422.4 million in 2020 to almost $10 billion.
The numbers come from The Athletic’s story on the Green Bay Packers’ annual earnings report on Friday. The Packers are the only publicly-owned NFL team and are required to post earnings.
Because the NFL shares national revenues equally across its 32 teams, Green Bay’s figures provide some insight into what’s going on with the rest of the league.
- Despite their first operating loss in over 20 years, the Packers reported national revenues of $309.2 million, placing the league’s combined national revenues at $9.89 billion.
- National revenues mostly consist of TV and sponsorships deals.
- Local revenues — primarily ticket, merchandise, and concession sales — aren’t shared across the league. The Packers’ dropped to $61 million in 2020 from $210 million the year prior.
Green Bay’s investment fund posted a $98 million gain, benefiting from strong markets throughout the year and leading the team to a net profit of $60.7 million.
In March, the NFL signed a new $113 billion media rights deal, which goes into effect for the 2023-2033 seasons.
Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy is confident in the team’s future, citing “the long-term broadcast agreements” as a major factor.
