As ESPN reportedly remains in discussions about a potential acquisition of NFL Media, it is said to be engaged in separate conversations surrounding retaining broadcast rights to the NFL Draft, which it has held for 45 years. The annual event has proven to draw significant audiences to media platforms, with the first round of the action averaging 12.1 million viewers, which was indicative of a 6% year-over-year proliferation. With the media rights expiring after this year, ESPN is reportedly bidding for these rights as it prepares the launch of a direct-to-consumer platform and the addition of new features to its app. FOX and Google are also reported as being involved in bidding for NFL Draft broadcasting rights as well.
Yet Netflix, which recently aired a doubleheader of NFL games on Christmas Day in the first season of a three-year deal with the league, has reportedly opted to decline an offer to bid for the rights. Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports was the first to report this development and added that Amazon’s Prime Video “is a long-shot contender” to secure the property. Sources cited in the report indicate that the league will likely add a streaming partner to its plans for NFL Draft coverage as the league welcomes the future stars of tomorrow to the sport.
Ted Sarandos, the co-chief executive officer of Netflix, stated that the company is trying to do live events, some of which are in the sports genre. Bela Bajaria, the chief content officer for the company, added that Netflix can do film and television in different languages with its forecasted content spend of approximately $18 billion. Netflix is currently in the first year of its reported 10-year, $5 billion media rights deal to air WWE Raw, and Bajaria divulged that she could have interest in acquiring NFL rights for Sunday afternoon games if the league exercises its opt out after the 2029 season.
With seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady recently completing his first season as an NFL analyst for FOX Sports, the company is looking to add the rights to its portfolio. FOX previously simulcast the NFL Network coverage of the event in 2018, and ESPN created another broadcast option on ABC featuring Kirk Herbstreit in the next year. Brady being part of this coverage could bolster its appeal as he continues working under a reported 10-year deal worth $375 million.
YouTube TV, which is owned by the same parent company as Google, has been the broadcast home of NFL Sunday Ticket since the 2023 season under a reported seven-year deal worth $2 billion per year. The company has been doing business with the league since 2015 under a strategic partnership to bring league content to fans utilizing the platform.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
