YouTube to pay $2 billion a year for rights to broadcast NFL Sunday Ticket
Christopher Hutton
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YouTube is set to pay a reported $2 billion a year for the rights to bring out-of-market NFL games to fans across the United States, a landmark deal for a streaming service.
All games available on the NFL Sunday Ticket package will be available on YouTube TV and YouTube PrimeTime Channels, the NFL announced on Thursday. The deal will allow people to watch their favorite teams without paying for a separate package. The new partnership will go into effect at the start of the 2023-24 season.
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“YouTube has long been a home for football fans, whether they’re streaming live games, keeping up with their home team, or watching the best plays in highlights,” said Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube, in a press statement. “Through this expanded partnership with the NFL, viewers will now be able to experience the game they love in compelling and innovative ways through YouTube TV or YouTube Primetime Channels. We’re excited to continue our work with the NFL to make YouTube a great place for sports lovers everywhere.”
The deal will cost YouTube $2 billion a year, according to CNBC. DirectTV has held the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket since 1994. The company last renewed the contract in 2014 but did not place a bid to renew it this year.
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The NFL has been pushing for NFL Sunday Ticket to end up on a streaming service for a while. “I think that’s best for consumers at this stage,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told CNBC. The sports league has been expanding into streaming deals slowly, including its recent agreement to stream Thursday night games on Amazon Prime. While Apple was previously thought to be the service to acquire the rights, negotiations broke down.