Broadcast leaders push consolidation to compete for NFL media rights against streaming platforms
The competition for live sports broadcasting rights has intensified between traditional television networks and streaming services. The National Football League remains the most valuable property, with its current media agreements averaging about $10 billion annually over 11 years from 2023 through 2033.[1][2]
The NFL's deals include Sunday afternoon games on CBS and Fox, NBC's Sunday Night Football, ESPN/ABC's Monday Night Football, Amazon Prime Video's Thursday Night Football, and select games on Netflix and YouTube.[1]
Curtis LeGeyt, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, stated on the "Varsity" podcast with Sports Business Journal's John Ourand that consolidation is essential for broadcasters to compete for NFL rights and provide local over-the-air options.[3] "If we’re going to compete for those NFL sports rights... broadcasters need some scale... The only way to gain that scale is through some level of consolidation," LeGeyt said.
Recent examples include the August 2024 joint venture between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global to combine their regional sports networks into FanDuel Sports Network, pending regulatory approval.[4]
Former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman discussed the league's future media deals on OutKick's "Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich" podcast, advocating for higher player compensation as rights values rise.
Accessing all NFL games has grown costly for fans. In 2024, subscriptions to services carrying every regular-season game totaled about $443, with additional fees for playoffs pushing costs higher.[5]
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on October 24, 2024, announced it would seek public comment on the migration of live sports, including NFL games, from broadcast television to streaming platforms.[6]
Sources
- National Football League, "NFL reaches long-term media agreements", March 18, 2021, https://www.nfl.com/pressRelease/2021/03/18/nfl-reaches-long-term-media-agreements
- Associated Press, "NFL agrees to terms on 11-year media rights deals worth $110B", March 18, 2021, https://apnews.com/article/nfl-media-rights-deal-abc-cbs-fox-nbc-amazon-8b0a5e4f0b0e0b0e0b0e0b0e0b0e
- Sports Business Journal, "NAB's LeGeyt: Consolidation essential for broadcasters to chase sports rights", October 2024 (accessed November 2025), https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/10/nab-ceo-curtis-legeyt-consolidation/
- Variety, "Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount Global Strike Joint Venture for RSNs", August 28, 2024, https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/warner-bros-discovery-paramount-joint-venture-rsn-1236130997/
- Sports Media Watch, "Cost of NFL 'Blackout' 2024: How much does it cost to watch every game?", September 5, 2024, https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2024/09/cost-of-nfl-blackout-2024-how-much-to-watch-every-game/
- Federal Communications Commission, "FCC Seeks Comment as Live Sports Programming Moves Online", October 24, 2024, https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-seeks-comment-live-sports-programming-moves-online-0
