Skip to content
Trending
June 30, 2025โ€‹Here’s how the luxury real estate market is splitting up July 2, 2025Inflation fears receded in May as Trump eased some tariff threats, New York Fed survey shows June 30, 2025Bank investors bet on looser regulation under Trump. They are starting to see it July 3, 2025UK’s popular sausage roll seller plunges 15% as heatwave hurts sales June 30, 2025Bulgaria is set to join the euro zone. But its citizens aren’t convinced June 30, 2025H&M shares jump as it flags summer shopping pick-up, says considering tariff price hikes July 2, 2025Modelo owner Constellation Brands misses on earnings as aluminum tariffs hit profitability July 2, 2025Drone maker AeroVironment shares pop 21% on earnings beat July 3, 2025Trump’s deportations are hurting Constellation Brands’ beer sales
EverydayRead
  • HOME
  • Business
  • Earnings
  • Economy
  • Finance
  • Lifestyle
EverydayRead
EverydayRead
  • HOME
  • Business
  • Earnings
  • Economy
  • Finance
  • Lifestyle
EverydayRead
  Business  Streaming deals are key to future of NFL viewership, fandom
Business

Streaming deals are key to future of NFL viewership, fandom

AdminAdmin—September 11, 20240

The National Football League’s bet on streaming is paying off โ€” and helping to broaden its fanbase in the U.S. and globally.

Hans Schroeder, the NFL’s executive vice president of media distribution, said at CNBC x Boardroom’s Game Plan sports business event on Tuesday that the league’s recent slew of exclusive streaming deals with media companies showcases its push to grow its audience.

When the NFL signed an 11-year, $111 billion media rights deal in 2021, streaming was already part of the mix. “Thursday Night Football” found its exclusive home on Amazon‘s Prime Video under that deal, while other legacy media broadcast partners got the green light to begin streaming games on their services.

And that was just the beginning. The following year, the NFL’s “Sunday Ticket” package that allows viewers to see out-of-market games went to Google‘s YouTube TV. Comcast‘s NBCUniversal started streaming “Sunday Night Football” games on Peacock alongside its regular broadcast, and it later landed an exclusive Wild Card game that would only show on its streaming service. Streaming giant Netflix then secured a deal to air games on Christmas Day, beginning this year.

“I think these latest steps are the latest in a journey that goes back probably 15 years ago, where we had a meeting with Steve Jobs and a small group of us,” Schroeder said, referring to when the former Apple CEO showed the group an early iteration of the iPhone and described how it would affect consumers. “That led us, in part, to retain the rights for live games on mobile phones.”

Schroeder said that was the first of various steps the NFL took to get its current day, in which much of its media rights strategy is focused on streaming.

More stories

Pharma is hopeful about Trump’s second term โ€” here’s what to expect for drugmakers

January 27, 2025

Bronfman’s Paramount bid could keep Shari Redstone involved at the company

August 24, 2024

Gap shares surge as it raises guidance, touts ‘strong start’ to holiday

November 22, 2024

Darden Restaurants beats earnings estimates, as Olive Garden parent predicts growth in 2026

June 23, 2025

The NFL Wild Card game that aired exclusively on Peacock earlier this year was a sign the strategy is paying off. It is considered the most-streamed live event in history with 27.6 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

“I think for us that was maybe the most transformative moment in the last few years that we could put a Wild Card game, one of the truly highest valuable, highest viewed games of the year [on Peacock],” Schroeder said.

The expansion into streaming has carried over into this season. Last week, the NFL’s first-ever game in Brazil was available exclusively on Peacock, averaging 14 million viewers.

“I give the NFL a lot of credit putting the white lab coat on with us and experimenting,” said NBC Sports President Rick Cordella at the Game Plan event.

He noted that Peacock’s sports strategy started with its launch in 2020 with English Premier League games, along with other sports like the NFL, and will keep growing in the 2025-26 season with NBA games.

Similarly, Lori Conkling, YouTube global head of TV, film and sports partnerships, said during the Tuesday session that the data the company has across its various platforms shows high sports viewership and underscores why “Sunday Ticket” made sense as an offering.

The majority of the NFL’s media rights deals are sewn up with traditional broadcast partners. Live sports broadcasts have maintained a large audience on traditional TV, even as consumers flee the cable bundle for streaming services. The majority of viewership still comes from traditional TV, according to ratings data.

Schroeder said Tuesday that the NFL’s strategy exists in both the traditional TV and streaming worlds. Still, the league has said it wants to grow its fanbase and move in the same direction as the consumer, which is toward streaming. The league has also been trying to expand beyond its U.S. footprint, and playing games overseas is just part of the equation.

“The Netflix deal will maybe be the first of its kind that is truly global,” Schroeder said. “And for us, I think there’s expectations that our global audience alone is going to rival what a window would do in the states.”

Netflix will stream NFL games for the next three years, with two games being streamed this year on the platform, and at least one matchup in both 2025 and 2026.

Disclosure: Comcast’s NBCUniversal is the parent company of CNBC.

Goldman Sachs to post $400 million hit to third-quarter results as it unwinds consumer business
Oracle shares jump 13% on earnings and revenue beat
Related posts
  • Related posts
  • More from author
Business

Trump’s deportations are hurting Constellation Brands’ beer sales

July 3, 20250
Business

Modelo owner Constellation Brands misses on earnings as aluminum tariffs hit profitability

July 2, 20250
Business

โ€‹Here’s how the luxury real estate market is splitting up

June 30, 20250
Load more
Read also
Earnings

UK’s popular sausage roll seller plunges 15% as heatwave hurts sales

July 3, 20250
Business

Trump’s deportations are hurting Constellation Brands’ beer sales

July 3, 20250
Economy

Inflation fears receded in May as Trump eased some tariff threats, New York Fed survey shows

July 2, 20250
Earnings

Drone maker AeroVironment shares pop 21% on earnings beat

July 2, 20250
Business

Modelo owner Constellation Brands misses on earnings as aluminum tariffs hit profitability

July 2, 20250
Finance

Bank investors bet on looser regulation under Trump. They are starting to see it

June 30, 20250
Load more
ยฉ 2023, All Rights Reserved.
  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Cookie Law
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions