It’s no secret that the NFL is preparing to renegotiate its rights deals before the 2029 opt-out clause with its current partners.
However, the ink of those renegotiated deals might be dry by the time the 2026 NFL season kicks off.
According to Puck’s John Ourand, not only does the league want all of its new agreements in place before the season begins in September, but those deals would take effect immediately rather than wait until 2029. As Ourand notes, each of the NFL’s current broadcasting partners would essentially be buying out their own opt-out clauses, with the new contracts expected to run through 2033 or 2034.
Ourand added that sources indicate the league will announce each new deal piecemeal rather than wait for a single big announcement. And all signs point to Paramount Skydance and CBS Sports as the first dance partners on the floor.
Paramount CEO David Ellison, fresh off winning the sweepstakes for Warner Bros. Discovery, said Thursday that the company “we do plan to continue our relationship [with the NFL], and I do believe we have planned accordingly there,” implying that their recent acquisition won’t hinder any renegotiations.
While it sounds like the Paramount-NFL negotiations will likely be the first domino, Fox is thought to be the second. However, Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch recently changed his tune from previous comments, suggesting that the company is already paying “market price” for the NFL. That’s at odds with what many Wall Street analysts have suggested. Lachlan did praise the relationship Fox has with the NFL, but added that they had “not had any material conversations with the NFL about a renewal” as of yet.
Any tough talk is likely to be for show in the end, as most expect the league to maintain its current broadcaster relationships while also siphoning off several games to streamers excited to get more NFL games on their platforms. Plus, it’s been said that Fox needs the NFL more than any other broadcaster.
