Writer’s Strike End a Boon for Sports Networks, Agencies
Roger Goodell has long said that when it comes to the “NFL Sunday Ticket,” he wanted to reach larger audiences and consider different platforms of delivery.
If recent reports pan out, it appears the NFL commissioner may get his wish.
The NFL is reportedly nearing a multiyear deal — worth about $2.5 billion annually — with Google’s YouTube TV to stream its “Sunday Ticket” package, which allows subscribers to watch every NFL game on Sundays regardless of their home market.
- DirecTV has held exclusive rights to “NFL Sunday Ticket” since 1994.
- The NFL’s current deal with DirecTV expires at the end of this season.
- DirecTV currently pays $1.5 billion per year for “NFL Sunday Ticket.”
When and if a deal is announced, it would mark the second NFL package to move online. Amazon paid $1.2 billion annually for the rights to “Thursday Night Football” in March 2021.
Apple and Disney were reportedly bidding along with Google — owned by Alphabet, Inc. — for the rights to “Sunday Ticket.” The NFL previously considered selling “Sunday Ticket” in a package deal with a stake in NFL Media, which includes NFL Network, NFL RedZone, and NFL.com.
As part of its pending deal, Google will not be acquiring a stake in the league’s media arm.
Streaming Craze
In June, Apple agreed to a $2.5 billion deal with Major League Soccer that will see Apple exclusively stream every MLS match for 10 years starting in 2023. In August, Paramount Global renewed its contract for U.S. rights to the UEFA Champions League in a six-year, $1.5 billion deal.
