Posted on 03/19/2021 5:34:28 AM PDT by Red Badger
March 19 (UPI) -- Amazon Prime Video became the exclusive provider of Thursday Night Football in one of several new broadcast deals announced by the NFL.
Sources told CNBC, the New York Times and the New York Post that the 11-year media rights agreement -- announced Thursday -- is worth more than $100 billion. The contract starts in 2023 and runs through 2033.
The NFL also signed deals with CBS, ESPN/ABC and Fox. CBS, Fox and NBC each will televise three upcoming Super Bowls as part of the agreement. ESPN/ABC will televise the Super Bowl in 2026 and 2030.
"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 in a news release.
"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."
The NFL first partnered with Amazon for Thursday Night Football in 2017. CBS is the league's longest-running media partner and has worked with the NFL since 1956.
"NFL games are the most watched live programming in the United States, and this unprecedented Thursday Night Football package gives tens of millions of new and existing Prime members exclusive access to must-watch live football on Prime Video," said Mike Hopkins, the senior vice president of Prime Video and Amazon Studios.
"NFL fans from across the country will enjoy a premium viewing experience with Thursday Night Football, as well as access to a broad selection of content including award-winning Amazon Originals available on Prime Video."
CBS maintained its right to broadcast AFC games on Sundays, while Fox maintained its NFC package on Sundays as part of the new pact. ESPN also will continue to host Monday Night Football. ESPN+ subscribers will be able to stream one international series game each season.
NBC also kept its rights to air Sunday Night Football. The league said it also plans to continue with broadcasts of a "select schedule" of games on NFL Network.
RELATED Buffalo Bills sign ex-Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky "The NFL has been a cornerstone of CBS Sports programming for more than 60 years," CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said. "We are extremely pleased to extend our long-standing partnership with the NFL for the next decade.
"The NFL is the most valuable content in all of media, and we are excited that the deal allows for more Sunday afternoon games than ever before and we retain the NFL's most-watched time slot. This wide-ranging deal includes significantly expanded rights, and we look forward to continued growth and to maximizing the enormous value of the NFL across all of our CBS Sports platforms."
NFL PING!......................
$100billion?
Yikes.
Let Amazon pay for the civic stadiums too, then.
I, for one, will not be watching.........................
**NFL games are the most watched live programming in the United States**
Very optimistic, but problematic. Many fans have walked away and will not be back!
You will have to pay Amazon Prime to watch. Not me....................
This type of deal is why a team like the Jacksonville Jaguars who have been the worst team in the NFL for years were sold a few years ago for 700 million to Shad Khan, the team despite all it’s failures is now said to be worth over 2 billion dollars....that’s quite ROI....
Well, that further’s Amazon’s dig into the deep.
Sponsoring the National Felon’s Kneeling and Bitching league
This century, I have watched, by pure accident, about a quarter or two NFL games. Once I made the decision to stop watching, it took no more than two weeks to lose the habit. Then, a whole new world manifested with more time to do fun things.
I'll pass on this new arrangement.
P.S. All the controversies of the last few years became matters if interest, only. I could not protest via a boycott since there hadn't been any games on TV in my house since long before they started.
Further proof that one, even an entity such as the lame woke NFL, can sell its soul for $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
With that much pent up demand, one would think there is plenty of big money and viewership in the football minor leagues.
So you have to pony up $119 a year for Amazon Prime to watch Thursday night football. Joke
It’s not a deal.
It’s a bailout.
And money is fungible.
God help the NFL if any of the bailout money is coming from taxpayers.
That is fine by me. The NFL has been dead to me since they failed to kick Kapernick out on his ass.
It will, thru Amazon's profits.................
Not me!..........................
It’s only a matter of time until Amazon buys up the entire NFL season..................
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