NFL reaches 11-year media deal with Amazon, TV networks

The National Football League on Thursday announced that it had reached a media deal with multiple companies, with the agreement in place to run through 2033.

The NFL finalized deals with Amazon, ESPN, ABC, ViacomCBS, Fox and Comcast, CNBC reports. Amazon.com will now be the exclusive NFL partner for Thursday Night Football, marking the first time that a streaming service will have a full game package. Thursday Night Football has been on Fox since 2018.

The financial terms of the deal are set to begin with the 2023 NFL season, CNBC reports, and though the exact numbers were not publicly disclosed, sources close to the matter told the news outlet that Amazon will be paying $1 billion per year.

ViacomCBS, Fox and Comcast will each be paying $2 billion a year, doubling their previous payments. Disney, which has more access to NFL content than other networks, will reportedly be paying $2.7 billion per year as part of the deal.

ESPN will retain the Monday Night Football package, CNBC reports, and Disney’s ABC network has the rights to air two Super Bowl games in the next 11 years.

In February it was reported that the NFL was seeking a 100-percent increase in TV rights payments from networks, a deal which Disney had reportedly pushed back on.

“NFL games are the most watched live programming in the United States, and this unprecedented Thursday Night Football package gives tens of millions of new and existing Prime members exclusive access to must-watch live football on Prime Video,” Senior VP of Prime Video and Amazon Studios Mike Hopkins said in a statement.

The new agreement could be worth up to $100 billion, which would be the richest sports media deal in the U.S.

“These new media deals will provide our fans even greater access to the games they love,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a statement to CNBC. “We’re proud to grow our partnerships with the most innovative media companies in the market. Along with our recently completed labor agreement with the NFLPA, these distribution agreements bring an unprecedented era of stability to the league and will permit us to continue to grow and improve our game.”