The National Football League (NFL) announced on Thursday that it has signed long-term media rights agreements with partners Amazon, CBS, ESPN/ABC, FOX, and NBC for the distribution of NFL games.
The new agreement begins with the 2023 season and extends through the 2033 season.
“These new media deals will provide our fans even greater access to the games they love. We’re proud to grow our partnerships with the most innovative media companies in the market,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “Along with our recently completed labor agreement with the NFLPA, these distribution agreements bring an unprecedented era of stability to the League and will permit us to continue to grow and improve our game.”
Below are the primary details of the new media rights agreement:
AMAZON: Amazon Prime has landed the exclusive rights to the Thursday Night Football package, which is likely to include a total of 15 games.
CBS: CBS retains the rights to the AFC package and will also add Paramount+ streaming.
ABC/ESPN: ESPN will continue to televise Monday Night Football and the new agreement allows ESPN to simulcast all ABC and ESPN games on ESPN+. Additionally, ABC has acquired the rights to televise two Super Bowls.
FOX: FOX will continue to produce the NFC package of Sunday afternoon games, which it first acquired in 1994.
NBC: NBC will continue to produce and broadcast the Sunday Night Football package. Additionally, NBC’s streaming service Peacock “…will deliver an exclusive feed of a select number of NFL games over the course of the agreement.”
NFL NETWORK: NFL Network will “…continue to televise a select schedule of exclusive NFL games on a yearly basis.”
Also as part part of the new agreement, CBS, FOX, and NBC will televise three Super Bowls each while ABC has nabbed two broadcasts. Below is the Super Bowl broadcast schedule through 2033:
- CBS: 2023, 2027, 2031
- FOX: 2024, 2028, 2032
- NBC: 2025, 2029, 2033
- ESPN/ABC: 2026, 2030
Below is additional information on the new agreement from te NFL release:
- INCREASED DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION: With games on Amazon Prime Video, ESPN+, Paramount+, Peacock, and FOX Digital platforms – in addition to NFL Mobile and digital platforms – NFL games are now available in more places and on more devices than ever before to meet the evolving consumption habits of NFL fans.
- BROADCAST DISTRIBUTION: The NFL continues to be the only sports league that delivers all of its games – regular-season and playoffs – on free, over-the-air television. Through the new agreement with ESPN, the NFL will broaden its broadcast distribution to include ABC, which will carry two Super Bowls along with additional exclusive regular season games each year. (Monday Night Football and Thursday Night Football are required by contract to be carried on over-the-air, broadcast stations in the cities of the participating teams.)
- INCREASED “FLEX”-ABILITY: As part of these agreements, there will be an increased ability to flex games to Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football allowing fans to watch more meaningful games in primetime.
- INTERACTIVITY & ALTERNATE BROADCASTS: The NFL’s media partners will now have greater ability to innovate around their productions and provide interactive elements such as stats/data, chat and integrated social feeds as part of their digital presentations. Additionally, there will be alternate presentations of select NFL games in addition to each partner’s main production similar to the one’s fans viewed during the 2020 postseason with ESPN’s MegaCast and CBS Sports’ presentation on Nickelodeon.
NFL SCHEDULES
- NFL Schedule (Composite)
- NFL Team Schedules (Team-by-team)
- NFL Preseason Schedule