The NFL sees global streamers as a growing piece of its future. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, executive VP and chief media officer Hans Schroeder says YouTube and Netflix could bring global audiences to league games while eventizing the exhibitions.
What We Know: Schroeder spoke to THR amid major shakeups, including Skydance’s creation and Fox’s pending Roku purchase. Additionally, Netflix made major layoffs last week and have had major executive changes, while NBCUniversal faces a looming spinoff. Meanwhile, the league’s current media deals include an opt-out after the 2029 season. Netflix already carries NFL games while YouTube previously did but owns the NFL Sunday Ticket product. But Schroeder hinted that he’s excited to see how the league wants to deepen those ties.
What They Said: NFL executive VP and chief media officer Hans Schroeder (via The Hollywood Reporter): “There’s really this gathering momentum about how we can further eventize some of the parts on our schedule and our calendar. [Plus] how you bring different elements to it. I thought a really magical one was what collectively the Saints, the city of New Orleans, ESPN, the Falcons, the league did to really celebrate the return to Superdome in week four. That was a really magical moment on the calendar. [It] made that Atlanta New Orleans game all that more special. There’s a lot more ways we can do that.”
NFL executive VP and chief media officer Hans Schroeder (via The Hollywood Reporter): “What a global partner can do that can truly bring a global audience behind it is really exciting. Those platforms like a YouTube or Netflix that have global fans well beyond the NFL. They can tap into and they can pull into for us is incredibly exciting to see. It’s just the tip of the iceberg there about how those two things can come together, and so we think there’s a lot more to come.”
What Remains Unclear: Still, nobody knows when the league will reopen rights talks. The NFL reportedly approached Paramount/Skydance this spring, but did not discuss items with FOX or NBC Sports. Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch said this summer that the company would revisit the deal in a couple of years. Moreover, Netflix’s appetite and YouTube’s plans beyond Sunday Ticket remain open questions.
What It Means: Ultimately, the NFL wants partners that can grow its audience beyond U.S. borders but also make broadcasts bigger than the game itself. That makes international games and eventized matchups a natural fit for global streamers. In the meantime, Disney’s Super Bowl LXI, with multiple alternate broadcasts, offers an early preview potentially. Consequently, the next rights cycle could look very different from the last one.
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