The National Football League (NFL) is making significant strides in expanding its audience and fanbase through a series of strategic streaming deals, reflecting a broader trend in sports media consumption. At CNBC x Boardroom’s Game Plan sports business event on Tuesday, Hans Schroeder, the NFL’s executive vice president of media distribution, highlighted how the league’s recent moves in the streaming space are shaping its future.
The NFL’s foray into streaming began with its landmark 11-year, $111 billion media rights deal signed in 2021. This agreement marked a significant shift, integrating streaming as a key component. Under this deal, “Thursday Night Football” found a new home on Amazon’s Prime Video, while other traditional broadcast partners were given the green light to stream games on their platforms.
In the following year, the league further expanded its streaming presence. The “Sunday Ticket” package, which allows viewers to watch out-of-market games, was awarded to Google’s YouTube TV. Additionally, Comcast’s NBCUniversal began streaming “Sunday Night Football” on Peacock, alongside its regular broadcast. NBCUniversal also secured an exclusive Wild Card game that would only be available on its streaming service. In a notable development, Netflix signed a deal to air games on Christmas Day starting this year.
Schroeder reflected on the NFL’s evolution in media rights strategy, tracing it back to a meeting with Steve Jobs 15 years ago. At that meeting, Jobs introduced an early version of the iPhone and discussed its potential impact on consumer behavior, which influenced the NFL’s decision to secure mobile rights for live games.
The effectiveness of this streaming strategy was evident earlier this year when the NFL’s Wild Card game, streamed exclusively on Peacock, became the most-streamed live event in history with 27.6 million viewers, according to Nielsen. This milestone was described by Schroeder as a transformative moment, showcasing the success of the league’s streaming initiatives.
The NFL’s expansion into streaming has continued into the current season, including the league’s first-ever game in Brazil, which was exclusively available on Peacock and averaged 14 million viewers. This move reflects the NFL’s commitment to growing its international audience and adapting to evolving media consumption habits.
NBC Sports President Rick Cordella praised the NFL for its willingness to experiment with new streaming strategies. Peacock’s sports content, which began with English Premier League games in 2020, is set to expand further with NBA games starting in the 2025-26 season. Similarly, YouTube’s global head of TV, film, and sports partnerships, Lori Conkling, noted that high sports viewership data across platforms supports the inclusion of “Sunday Ticket” as a valuable offering.
Despite the shift towards streaming, traditional TV remains a major platform for live sports, maintaining large audiences even as viewers migrate to streaming services. The NFL’s strategy continues to balance both traditional TV and streaming platforms, with a clear emphasis on adapting to consumer preferences and expanding its global reach.
The league’s latest deal with Netflix, which will see NFL games streamed for the next three years, including two games this year and additional matchups in 2025 and 2026, exemplifies its ongoing commitment to globalizing its brand and catering to a diverse, international audience.
