Netflix is reportedly naming Luke Kuechly as its top NFL game analyst; YouTube TV users can reportedly link their accounts to access ESPN Unlimited; and FIFA “is exploring the concept of” a new subsidiary. Plus news on CBS Sports, Steve Smith, NBC Sports and Eddie Olczyk.
Kuechly reportedly being named top NFL game analyst at Netflix
Former NFL LB Luke Kuechly will be named the lead NFL game analyst for Netflix, according to a report by Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. Kuechly, who has worked as the radio analyst for Carolina Panthers broadcasts for the last four seasons, will debut on the Week 1 49ers-Rams contest from Australia, which will be produced for Netflix by NBC Sports. Outside of his analyst work, he also co-hosts the “JJ and Luke” podcast alongside former Panthers LS JJ Jansen.
Kuechly is expected to pair with play-by-play announcer Noah Eagle, with whom he reportedly auditioned in early July. Marchand reported that Kuechly impressed Netflix executives at the tryout. It remains unknown if Eagle and Kuechly will pair together for the other games on the expanded Netflix NFL game schedule. Eagle has broadcast Christmas Day games for Netflix over the last two seasons, working with Drew Brees and Noah Eagle on the game broadcasts, respectively.
Netflix sports host Elle Duncan said in a recent interview on the “Sports Media Watch Podcast” that the streamer’s NFL events will “have a through-line and some consistency” with talent.
It should be noted that Netflix will need a secondary broadcast team for one of its two Christmas Day games under its current doubleheader structure that ends after the season. Netflix does have a path to carrying doubleheaders on the holiday in the new deal.
YouTube TV users reportedly able to link account for access to ESPN Unlimited
YouTube TV users can now use their account credentials to view ESPN Unlimited content in the ESPN App, per a report by Luke Bouma of Cord Cutters News. The functionality was borne out of a new carriage agreement between Disney and YouTube TV last year following a 15-day blackout that occurred in the midst of the NFL season. (Disney revealed that the outage cost ESPN $110 million in operating income, something John Ourand of Puck reported was “partly attributed to” job cuts at the network earlier this year.)
Dade Hayes of Deadline reported at the time of the deal that some ESPN Unlimited content would “be incorporated into the user experience of YouTube TV.” YouTube also started offering a sports bundle this year for $65/month that includes the ESPN networks, along with programming from CBS, NBC, Fox, TNT, USA, Golf Channel and more. YouTube TV reportedly has more than 10 million subscribers and reached a deal earlier this week to provide premium subscribers free access to ad-supported Peacock Premium.
ESPN Unlimited users will soon have access to sporting events on Nexstar-owned CW, which will begin streaming on the service starting next Tuesday. The deal between ESPN and Nexstar had been announced in April, making ESPN Unlimited the first streaming platform for The CW Sports division.
The enhanced ESPN App is nearing its one-year anniversary on the market and has inked various bundling partnerships with companies such as Fox Corporation and the National Football League. ESPN has not released subscriber figures for its direct-to-consumer platform since its launch. The Walt Disney Company considers the platform to be part of its Sports segment, which registered ESPN domestic revenue of $10.84 billion in FY2025 (+1% YoY). The ESPN linear network reaches 61 million subscribers across MVPD and vMVPD platforms, according to measurements by Nielsen Media Research cited in Disney’s annual report.
FIFA “is exploring the concept of” new subsidiary that would house broadcast rights
FIFA “is exploring the concept of” a new subsidiary that would house its suite of broadcast rights, in addition to those related to ticketing, sponsorship, licensing and “operational delivery” of its tournaments. The governing body has been working with J.P. Morgan on the venture, “while other advisers such as OpenEconomics are engaging with prospective long-term investors.” FIFA, which has been a nonprofit organization since it was founded in 1904, would look to raise up to $4.2 billion to fund the entity, which would be known as FIFA Forward Enterprise and have a valuation of $20 billion.
This new commercial venture would require the approval of the FIFA member organizations to go through, who would be able to “access up to $20 million in one-off capital.” The news also comes at a time when FIFA is reportedly gearing to sell its next slate of Men’s World Cup rights for the 2030 and 2034 cycle, for which various companies have already expressed interest. FIFA is reportedly “likely” going to bundle its English- and Spanish-language rights after those for the last several iterations have been held by Fox Sports and Telemundo, respectively. The FIFA World Cup Final between Spain and Argentina recently became the most-watched soccer telecast of all time with an average of 66.4 million viewers.
“Our next stage of growth needs a structure built for it, one where the commercial side of the game operates as a focused, dedicated business, with its value shared more and better all around the world,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement. Infantino is up for re-election next year, and, with a victory, would keep power until 2031 when he is unable to run again due to term limits. Yet he “would be lined up to” become the commissioner of the new company upon the expiration of his presidency, per a larger report by Martyn Ziegler of The Times.
“This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross,” UEFA said in a statement regarding Ziegler’s article on Tuesday. “UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game. The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”
Plus: CBS Sports, Steve Smith, NBC Sports, Eddie Olczyk
- CBS Sports has reached a new multiyear rights deal to continue broadcasting the Concacaf Champions Cup, along with the Concacaf Caribbean Cup and Concacaf Central American Cup through the 2030 campaign, it was announced on Tuesday. Paramount+ is set to stream 137 matches across the competitions annually while continuing its coverage of Serie A and the UEFA Champions League. “[T]his partnership will further elevate the profile of our clubs, our competitions and our game,” Concacaf president/FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani said in a statement. Fox Sports, which previously held the rights, recently inked a deal to continue airing the Concacaf Gold Cup in addition to the Concacaf Nations League through 2029.
- NFL Network analyst Steve Smith is expected to have a recurring presence on ESPN’s NFL studio shows, according to a report by Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports. Smith, who has been part of NFL Network since retiring from professional football in 2017, could reportedly appear on programs such as “Get Up,” “First Take” and “NFL Live.” The report comes a week after ESPN underwent layoffs that impacted both its employees and staff members at the newly-acquired NFL Network.
- Former MLB SP Clayton Kershaw is working his first NBC Sports MLB broadcast since Opening Night, providing pregame analysis and “Inside the Pitch” commentary during the upcoming Dodgers-Red Sox game on “Sunday Night Baseball.” Kershaw will work with host Bob Costas before the game, and then be part of the in-game commentary team featuring play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti with Spectrum SportsNet LA analyst Orel Hershiser and NESN analyst Lou Merloni. Angels Broadcast Television (ABTV) reporter Erica Weston will make her debut in the role on the Angels-Brewers “MLB Sunday Leadoff” game earlier in the day with play-by-play announcer Matt Vasgersian, ABTV analyst Mark Gubicza and Brewers.TV analyst Vinny Rottino.
- Eddie Olczyk is departing Seattle Kraken regional broadcasts on the Kraken Hockey Network after four seasons, attributing the move to “personal and family reasons,” it was announced Tuesday. Olczyk, who also works for TNT Sports on national games with Kenny Albert and Brian Boucher, will be continuing in that role. Olczyk previously served as the analyst on Chicago Blackhawks broadcasts before departing to join the Kraken in 2022.
