NFL schedule will include 'slight increase' in broadcast exposure
Awful Announcing • • sports
Key Points:
- The NFL plans a slight increase in its broadcast footprint for the upcoming season amid ongoing Justice Department and FCC investigations into its media rights practices and antitrust exemption under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.
- The Justice Department probe and FCC inquiry focus on whether the NFL is properly applying its antitrust exemption, especially regarding games sold to non-broadcast platforms like cable networks and streaming services.
- Despite concerns about fragmentation, 87% of last season’s games aired on free over-the-air broadcast networks, rising to 100% in local markets; the NFL aims to improve this percentage in the next season.
- Reports indicate YouTube may air a five-game package and Netflix could expand beyond its two-game Christmas Day slate, with some additional games coming from the NFL Network deal with ESPN, though these may not increase broadcast network coverage.
- The NFL is expected to announce its full schedule next week, which will clarify how the league balances streaming deals with broadcast commitments to address regulatory scrutiny.
