Despite the disappointment of fans, streaming-exclusive NFL games aren’t likely to disappear any time soon.
The NFL knows full well that its immediate future is still primarily on linear TV. Ninety-three of the top 100-rated television programs of 2023 were NFL games, and record-setting ratings from Super Bowl Lviii gave the league all the ammunition it needed to prove to doubters that traditional television is still the best way to offer fans games. But the league is still determined to build its relationships with streaming partners like Peacock and Prime Video, and the league’s EVP of media distribution Hans Schroeder spoke with Ad Week recently about how the league views streaming as a medium.
Schoeder suggested that rising ratings for “Thursday Night Football” games on Prime Video made the league feel comfortable offering it a Wild Card game. The average streaming audience for NFL games is eight years younger than linear audiences on average.
The NFL knows full well that its immediate future is still primarily on linear TV. Ninety-three of the top 100-rated television programs of 2023 were NFL games, and record-setting ratings from Super Bowl Lviii gave the league all the ammunition it needed to prove to doubters that traditional television is still the best way to offer fans games. But the league is still determined to build its relationships with streaming partners like Peacock and Prime Video, and the league’s EVP of media distribution Hans Schroeder spoke with Ad Week recently about how the league views streaming as a medium.
Schoeder suggested that rising ratings for “Thursday Night Football” games on Prime Video made the league feel comfortable offering it a Wild Card game. The average streaming audience for NFL games is eight years younger than linear audiences on average.
- 4/2/2024
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
A new report suggests the league is examining its contracts with Fox and Disney to see if it has any leverage to prevent their airing games on the new streamer.
The NFL has been extremely deliberate about making its product available via streaming. Making games available on broadcast channels is what turned the NFL into the giant TV product it is today, but its deliberate strategy was somewhat upended last week when Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery announced they would be bringing all of their sports rights to a new streaming platform intended to launch this fall. The NFL was reportedly not informed about the streamer until the news broke last week, and Puck is reporting that the league is “scouring” its contracts with Fox and Disney to see if it can prevent its games from airing on the streamer.
If the NFL has no legal recourse for stopping...
The NFL has been extremely deliberate about making its product available via streaming. Making games available on broadcast channels is what turned the NFL into the giant TV product it is today, but its deliberate strategy was somewhat upended last week when Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery announced they would be bringing all of their sports rights to a new streaming platform intended to launch this fall. The NFL was reportedly not informed about the streamer until the news broke last week, and Puck is reporting that the league is “scouring” its contracts with Fox and Disney to see if it can prevent its games from airing on the streamer.
If the NFL has no legal recourse for stopping...
- 2/15/2024
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
According to Antenna, Peacock grew by 2.8 million subscribers over the Wild Card weekend which saw it stream the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs game.
NBCUniversal definitely ruffled the feathers of NFL fans by putting one of the two Wild Card games it held the rights to in the 2023-24 NFL playoffs exclusively on Peacock for national audiences. The social media reaction from fans was one of puzzlement and annoyance, but new data released by Antenna shows that despite the gripes, audiences followed the game to Peacock to such an extent that the service broke the record for the largest single subscriber-acquisition moment ever measured in streaming history.
Antenna’s preliminary analysis suggests that Peacock gained 2.8 million subscribers during Wild Card Weekend. The game drew more than 23 million viewers across the United States according to NBCU. NFL officials have already made clear that they saw the game as a success,...
NBCUniversal definitely ruffled the feathers of NFL fans by putting one of the two Wild Card games it held the rights to in the 2023-24 NFL playoffs exclusively on Peacock for national audiences. The social media reaction from fans was one of puzzlement and annoyance, but new data released by Antenna shows that despite the gripes, audiences followed the game to Peacock to such an extent that the service broke the record for the largest single subscriber-acquisition moment ever measured in streaming history.
Antenna’s preliminary analysis suggests that Peacock gained 2.8 million subscribers during Wild Card Weekend. The game drew more than 23 million viewers across the United States according to NBCU. NFL officials have already made clear that they saw the game as a success,...
- 1/24/2024
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Fans shouldn’t expect the league to make any big moves to quickly expand its streaming footprint, but more exclusive games are likely.
The fans grumbled and complained about an NFL Wild Card game that was exclusively available on Peacock; why was the NFL forcing them to subscribe to a new streaming service to watch a playoff game that had always been free before? Despite those objections, fans followed the game to Peacock, resulting in record viewership for the service and ratings that bested the 2023 Wild Card game that aired on broadcast TV in the same timeslot. Hans Schroeder, the EVP and COO of NFL Media, said that the league is incredibly pleased with the viewership results of the game, which is bad news for fans who are not looking forward to more streaming-exclusive games in the future.
Peacock’s streaming-exclusive NFL Wild Card pulled in more viewers than NBC...
The fans grumbled and complained about an NFL Wild Card game that was exclusively available on Peacock; why was the NFL forcing them to subscribe to a new streaming service to watch a playoff game that had always been free before? Despite those objections, fans followed the game to Peacock, resulting in record viewership for the service and ratings that bested the 2023 Wild Card game that aired on broadcast TV in the same timeslot. Hans Schroeder, the EVP and COO of NFL Media, said that the league is incredibly pleased with the viewership results of the game, which is bad news for fans who are not looking forward to more streaming-exclusive games in the future.
Peacock’s streaming-exclusive NFL Wild Card pulled in more viewers than NBC...
- 1/23/2024
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
The NFL’s decision to give Peacock — the streaming service owned by NBCUniversal — an exclusive game raised eyebrows in Hollywood when it was announced last year.
The game itself raised some hackles from fans, frustrated that they would have to subscribe to a new service to watch the game (it is worth noting that in the local markets of the teams playing, Miami and Kansas City, the game aired on local NBC stations).
And yet, to hear NBC tell it, the game between the Kansas City Chief and Miami Dolphins was an unabashed success. The game averaged 23 million viewers, according to Nielsen (not bad for a streaming service with about 30 million subscribers), and was actually up from the previous year’s wild card game on NBC.
It was a performance that had the NFL just as excited as its broadcast partner.
“We were thrilled,” says Hans Schroeder, the executive VP and COO of NFL Media,...
The game itself raised some hackles from fans, frustrated that they would have to subscribe to a new service to watch the game (it is worth noting that in the local markets of the teams playing, Miami and Kansas City, the game aired on local NBC stations).
And yet, to hear NBC tell it, the game between the Kansas City Chief and Miami Dolphins was an unabashed success. The game averaged 23 million viewers, according to Nielsen (not bad for a streaming service with about 30 million subscribers), and was actually up from the previous year’s wild card game on NBC.
It was a performance that had the NFL just as excited as its broadcast partner.
“We were thrilled,” says Hans Schroeder, the executive VP and COO of NFL Media,...
- 1/22/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Peyton Manning and Netflix are searching for more quarterbacks to profile in a second season of their NFL docuseries.
Manning, who exec produces Quarterback, which starred Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota, revealed that the streamer had greenlit the series for a second season.
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, the Colts legends said, “Season 2 has been greenlit by Netflix, we’re excited, we’re hoping for more quarterbacks, it’s easier to say yes. I don’t want to hear ‘It’s going to be a distraction’ because that’s not true, Patrick Mahomes proved that, Kirk Cousins proved that, Marcus, the way he handled that, proved that. We’re hoping that guys after seeing it say this is going to be a cool thing that I can show to my kids when I’m older, show to my grandkids one day. Hopefully the pitch will be easier.
Manning, who exec produces Quarterback, which starred Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota, revealed that the streamer had greenlit the series for a second season.
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, the Colts legends said, “Season 2 has been greenlit by Netflix, we’re excited, we’re hoping for more quarterbacks, it’s easier to say yes. I don’t want to hear ‘It’s going to be a distraction’ because that’s not true, Patrick Mahomes proved that, Kirk Cousins proved that, Marcus, the way he handled that, proved that. We’re hoping that guys after seeing it say this is going to be a cool thing that I can show to my kids when I’m older, show to my grandkids one day. Hopefully the pitch will be easier.
- 7/18/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Updated with plan for broader-access stream. Prime Video will make its upcoming exclusive coverage of the first NFL game to be played on Black Friday free for all viewers, not just Prime members.
The ungating move is unprecedented in the U.S., though it has been tried in international markets. A press release said it is intended as “an early present for NFL fans” amid the start to the holiday shopping season. Family gatherings on Thanksgiving often boost TV ratings for that day’s long-established menu of three NFL games.
A 3 p.m. Et kickoff is planned on Friday, November 24, the day after Thanksgiving. It is the first time an NFL game will be played on that day, though games have occasionally fallen on a Friday due to Christmas and New Year’s timing. Prime Video began its long-term exclusive carriage of NFL Thursday Night Football last year, averaging 11.3 million viewers per week.
The ungating move is unprecedented in the U.S., though it has been tried in international markets. A press release said it is intended as “an early present for NFL fans” amid the start to the holiday shopping season. Family gatherings on Thanksgiving often boost TV ratings for that day’s long-established menu of three NFL games.
A 3 p.m. Et kickoff is planned on Friday, November 24, the day after Thanksgiving. It is the first time an NFL game will be played on that day, though games have occasionally fallen on a Friday due to Christmas and New Year’s timing. Prime Video began its long-term exclusive carriage of NFL Thursday Night Football last year, averaging 11.3 million viewers per week.
- 3/7/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
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