Fox News Channel offers its audiences in-depth news reporting, along with opinion and analysis encompassing the principles of free people, free markets and diversity of thought, as an alternative to the left-of-center offerings of the news marketplace.
The evolution of live sports programming has become a battleground between traditional broadcast companies and streaming platforms, vying for the right to air the best games possible year after year. The NFL is the cream of the crop, generating roughly $10 billion per year on its current media rights deal.
And the league is likely to renegotiate that deal by the end of this year, with reports indicating that they want it done before kickoff in Week 1 of the 2026 season in September. With additional media partners potentially entering the fold in this new deal, where do the incumbents like FOX, CBS and NBC lie in the pie chart that is the NFL schedule? CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Curtis LeGeyt, the CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, which lobbies federal agencies and lawmakers alike on behalf of the broadcast industry, spoke with John Ourand on 'The Varsity' podcast, where he suggested the broadcast industry must consolidate if it wants to continue competing with streaming platforms for live sports rights. EX-NFL STAR SHAWNE MERRIMAN ADVOCATING FOR PLAYERS TO GET PAID MORE WHEN TV RIGHTS DEALS EXPLODE 'I think, for better or worse, is an essential thing right now,' he explained. 'And I’m looking at this purely through the lens of broadcast. If we’re going to compete for those NFL sports rights, if we’re going to compete locally to ensure that teams feel like they have a local distribution option that is freely available through local broadcasts as opposed to the cable regional sports networks or even streaming, broadcasters need some scale in order to complete for that. The only way to gain that scale is through some level of consolidation.' We’re already seeing key mergers across broadcast television, including Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, which is awaiting approval that will likely go through. Also, the NFL and ESPN reached a landmark deal where the sports giant acquired NFL Network, NFL RedZone and NFL Fantasy. In exchange, the league received a 10% equity stake in ESPN, which was valued at around $3 billion. Merging these broadcasters together can help compete against the likes of Amazon, Netflix, and perhaps others will join the fray if and when negotiations ensue for a new media rights deal. With JC Tretter elected as the NFL Players’ Association’s new executive director, those negotiations could be coming sooner than later. Now, where does the NFL fan come into play here? The price of simply watching the NFL schedule is quite expensive, with fans having to pay at least $575 to watch every game if they wished in 2025. The need for ESPN, Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and NFL+ subscriptions, among others, only points upward as media rights prices for the league continues to grow. Fans would like it if they could access their favorite sports if its free-to-air broadcasts doing so. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The FCC said last month it would seek public comment about the ongoing shift of live sports from broadcast channels to streaming services, which includes the other major sports leagues in the country like the NBA, MLB and more. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The NFL’s Version of Dollar General Takes Center Stage for Five ContendersExamining the franchises that still need to polish off their rosters during the second wave of free agency or the draft.
Read more »
Missing student found dead • Soldier Field plans • Firefighter killedThese are the top stories in Fox 32's Week in Review.
Read more »
Chargers Should Still be After Most Underrated NFL Free AgentThe Chargers should add this free agent to the depth chart and let the best players win at a problem spot.
Read more »
Alternate Lions Free Agency That Would Have Sparked Super Bowl HopesAssessing what Detroit Lions Brad Holmes should have done this NFL offseason.
Read more »
Koahnic Broadcast Corporation launches initiative to strengthen Indigenous public mediaIn a packed Hotel Captain Cook ballroom lined with Alaska Native art, the Koahnic Broadcast Corporation outlined its plan to sustain its mission of providing Alaska Native storytelling to the city and state.
Read more »
Olivia Colman's Talking Fox Comedy And The Australian Folklore Behind ItJai Courtney and the Fox stare down into the pit in The Fox
Read more »