The NFL has found its streaming partner for Thursday Night Football. In other news, the NFL has loosened restrictions on its Week 17 flex schedule, and ESPN is looking to add the Warriors’ potential record-setting games.
Twitter to Stream TNF Games
- The NFL announced Tuesday that it has reached agreement with Twitter to stream all ten Thursday Night Football games on CBS and NBC next season, free without subscription or authentication. According to Bloomberg, which first reported the news, the deal is worth $10 million. Streaming coverage will be identical to the television broadcasts, except during local ad breaks — during which Twitter will be able to sell its own spots (NYT, 4/5). The site beat out Amazon, Verizon and Yahoo!, which last year became the first digital outlet to carry an NFL game. (NFL Communications, Bloomberg, N.Y. Times)
NFL Lifts Primetime Restrictions in Week 17
- In a bit of old news, NFL owners agreed last month to lift the restrictions on primetime television appearances for Week 17 of the regular season, meaning any team could be flexed into the Sunday Night Football finale. Teams are limited to five or six primetime appearances per season, which under the old system meant that network-favorites such as the Patriots would be ineligible for the Week 17 SNF game. (USA Today)
ESPN Looking to Add Weekend Warriors Games
- ESPN is interested in adding Saturday’s Warriors/Grizzlies and Sunday’s Warriors/Spurs games, Sports Media Watch has learned, more than likely Golden State’s 72nd and 73rd wins of the season. Saturday’s game would air on ESPN, not ABC, which already has the Cavaliers/Bulls game scheduled as part of its NBA Saturday Primetime series.
