NFL commissioner Roger Goodell discusses potential repackaging of media rights deals; Fox president/COO John Nallen talks about the company’s relationship with the NFL; and Prime Video will look at FIFA World Cup rights. Plus news on the Memphis Grizzlies, CBS Sports, Rogers Sportsnet and KNBR.
Goodell: NFL evaluating if it should repackage current media rights deals
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in an interview with Alex Sherman of CNBC this week that the league is evaluating whether to repackage its current media rights packages. “The world is changing for our partners, it’s changing for us, it’s changing for fans,” Goodell said. “Our fans are moving to other platforms. We’ve obviously evaluated that in the context of many of our media deals, even since we’ve struck these deals back in ’21. And so you have to continually stay ahead of that, see where the technology is going, see where the fans are going, and I think we’ve done that intelligently.”
Goodell did not disclose whether the league will utilize opt-out clauses in its current deals, most of which come into play following the 2029 season (with the exception of its pact with The Walt Disney Company, which has an opt-out clause after the 2030 campaign). Goodell: “[What] we said all along is that the option would be incredibly valuable to the NFL — to be able to evaluate what’s happening in the media landscape, to be able to look at things that are happening out there and make the best decision for our fans and for our clubs and how we make sure we present our game in the best possible way and do it with the best value.”
The commissioner, who recently reached a contract extension through 2031, said that the league wants to ensure games remain “available” to fans, and that he expects all of its games to continue airing on broadcast television, which has been the case in the home markets of participating teams. Goodell: “I think that’s been the magic of our success, ultimately, is making sure we’re available.”
Goodell also addressed the potential sale of a package of international games in the U.S. or globally, and restated the league’s position that its games on streaming services are meeting viewers where they are. “It’s not like we’re going [to streaming] and they’re coming. They’re already there, and they’re also a younger demographic … and as you know, our broadcast partners are getting into streaming — every single one of them.”
Nallen: Fox relationship with NFL “couldn’t be stronger”
Fox Corporation president/COO John Nallen said that the company’s relationship with the National Football League “couldn’t be stronger,” citing as evidence its acquisition of two national game windows in the offseason and a new rights deal in Mexico rights deal. Nallen, who spoke at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference on Wednesday, also mentioned the company’s ability to cross promote NFL programming on its other platforms as a mutual benefit. “If you look [at] the last 30 years, we’ve produced over 100 games a season, every season for the NFL,” Nallen said. “My expectation is that’s going to continue for the foreseeable future.”
Nallen made the comments one month after company CEO Lachlan Murdoch said that the company would not renegotiate its NFL deal early. The league had reportedly been looking to obtain higher rights fees and, in turn, remove opt-out clauses it can exercise across most of its deals following the 2029 season. Murdoch had pushed back against the league’s purported ambitions, previously saying that Fox was paying a “market price” for the rights and that incremental costs would ultimately flow to local affiliates, distributors and consumers.
Fox had also submitted public comment to the FCC in support of reviewing the league’s antitrust exemption in the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 and if it extends beyond broadcast television. Murdoch said on the company’s most recent earnings call that Fox does not really have tension with the league, noting that the network thinks it “can see a clear path forward, certainly through the 2029 season and also beyond.”
Nallen commented about the company’s broader sports rights portfolio, noting the upcoming expiration of some of its foundational deals with MLB, the NFL, college football, IndyCar and NASCAR. “Clearly, the renewal of these rights, with baseball coming up as the earliest, is going to be a key aspect of the entirety of Fox to renew what are core rights to us.” Nallen also expressed interest in retaining FIFA World Cup rights if it has a similar performance as it did this past year, for which it averaged 7.74 million viewers across Fox platforms over 104 matches.
Marine: Prime Video “looking at” FIFA World Cup rights
Amazon head of Prime Video U.S. and global head of sports Jay Marine indicated that the streamer has interest in FIFA World Cup rights. Marine, who spoke at the Bloomberg Power Players conference on Thursday, had previously stated in his interview that he is happy with the streamer’s current portfolio, which includes Thursday night NFL games, NBA and WNBA games and NASCAR races. The company also has rights to soccer outside of the United States, most notably the UEFA Champions League in Europe.
“We look at everything,” Marine said after World Cup and MLS rights were referenced by Lucas Shaw of Bloomberg. “I’m interested in all of that. The World Cup was fantastic here this past year, and I thought the broadcasters did a great job with that, and that’s an incredible property. Time zone matters there, of course. This one here was the perfect [situation], but it’s a great competition, and we know international soccer very well, so yeah, we’re looking at that for sure.”
Prime Video had not publicly disclosed potential interest in FIFA World Cup rights, but Marine’s comments are in line with many other major sports media rightsholders. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro talked about making a bid for the rights at the CNBC Sport x Boardroom Game Plan Summit in July. Moreover, Netflix VP/global live sports and entertainment Gabe Spitzer mentioned to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic that the company would “want to have a conversation” with FIFA about landing the rights.
The English- and Spanish-language U.S. rights for the next two FIFA World Cup tournaments are likely to be sold together in one package, according to a report by Alex Sherman of CNBC. Fox Sports and Telemundo have aired the English- and Spanish-language broadcasts for the competition, respectively, since the 2018 edition of the tournament.
Plus: Memphis Grizzlies, CBS Sports, Rogers Sportsnet, KNBR
- The NBA Grizzlies have become the latest team to reach an exclusive local rights deal with DAZN, it was announced Thursday. DAZN will stream 78 regular-season games in addition to four preseason contests, along with original team-specific programming. Play-by-play announcer Pete Pranica will continue to work with analyst Brevin Knight and sideline reporter/host Rob Fischer on the broadcasts. The Grizzlies mark the latest edition to a growing local portfolio for DAZN, which also includes exclusive local rights for the Timberwolves, Pacers, Spurs and Cavaliers.
- CBS Sports analysts Russell Wilson and Kyle Long will be co-hosting a new digital series for the company titled “Set, Hut!” that makes its premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 15. The program, which will feature interviews, discussion and analysis about the NFL, will be available to view through the NFL on CBS YouTube channel, and afterwards be distributed on Paramount+, podcasting outlets and CBS Sports HQ. Wilson and Long make their debuts as full-time members of “The NFL Today” this Sunday.
- Rogers Sportsnet announced this week that it is naming its new weekly primetime NHL series “Saturday Night Hockey” after failing to retain the CBC-owned intellectual property of “Hockey Night in Canada,” per a report by Rob Longley of The Toronto Sun. As part of its new NHL rights deal that kicks in this season, Rogers will no longer simulcast games on CBC. Longley also reported that analysts Elliotte Friedman and Kevin Bieksa reached new deals with Sportsnet following “protracted negotiations” after their contracts had ended in August. Ron MacLean and Colby Armstrong will be part of the Saturday night coverage in addition to Friedman and Bieksa.
- Cumulus-owned KNBR has brought Greg Papa back into its rotation less than two months after reportedly laying him off, announcing Thursday that he will host a midday feature titled “Lunch With Papa” and provide 49ers updates during its morning and afternoon programming. Papa was diagnosed with leukemia approximately one year ago and suffered “life-threatening complications” from a bone-marrow transplant, per a report by Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.
