This was a massive week for the future of NFL coverage as we know it, as the NFL agreed to massive equity deals with two of its broadcast partners, CBS and ESPN, per Awful Announcing. The deals will see the league gain a 10% ownership in ESPN and reportedly a similar stake with CBS.
“Since its launch in 2003, NFL Network has provided millions of fans unprecedented access to the sport they love,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said when the deal was formally announced.
“Whether it was debuting Thursday Night Football, televising the Combine, or telling incredible football stories through original shows and breaking news, NFL Network has delivered. The Network’s sale to ESPN will build on this remarkable legacy, providing more NFL football for more fans in new and innovative ways.”
However, what’s shocking is that the NFL is admitting that some of its previous arrangement with ESPN was not-so-great, and that the plan is to fix the issues in a major way moving forward.
“What we’ve seen now over the past couple of years is whether it’s a fan adoption issue, or confusion, whatever it is, we probably get to a similar audience by putting up a single game and simulcasting it on ABC than we do with two games up,” NFL Executive Vice President of Media Distribution Hans Schroeder told CNBC’s Alexander Sherman. “It’s not the best use of an NFL game.”
The fix for the league, per Sherman, is to move four of the current Monday Night Football games to NFL Network.
It’ll be interesting to see how fans take to the change.