• The NFL intends to choose a streaming platform as its new Sunday Ticket partner.
• The league will make a decision by the fall.
• Talks to replace DirecTV have been ongoing for more than a year.

According to Commissioner Roger Goodell on Friday, the National Football League intends to choose a streaming platform as its new Sunday Ticket partner and will make a decision by the fall.

Goodell said “I clearly believe we’ll be moving to a streaming business.” “I believe that, at this time, is best for customers.”

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Last month, Apple, Amazon, and Disney—which owns ESPN+—have all submitted bids to become the league’s only distributor of Sunday Tickets. Goodell acknowledged that talks to replace DirecTV, whose deal with the league expires after this season, have been ongoing for more than a year.

Outside of what is shown on CBS and FOX in their respective local markets, Sunday Ticket is the only means for fans to see live NFL Sunday afternoon games. The annual rights cost $1.5 billion paid by DirecTV. The NFL now demands more than $2 billion annually.

Contractual clauses with CBS and Fox prohibit any streaming service from charging fans considerably less than the $300 price of Sunday Ticket.

Despite not submitting a bid to renew the package, DirecTV is ready to collaborate with the victor. With rare exclusions, DirecTV’s existing agreement with the NFL requires customers who sign up for Sunday Ticket to also sign up for its pay-TV subscription. With a new streaming service partner, that need will be eliminated, potentially making Sunday Ticket available to a much larger audience.

By transferring Sunday Ticket to a digital provider, the league will be able to reach a bigger audience, according to Goodell, who pointed out that many individuals who watch games on streaming services do not have traditional pay TV subscriptions.

We really believe that these new platforms enable us to innovate where we are at the moment, according to Goodell. It clearly increases its accessibility for our customers, especially for the younger market, which is one that we really want to reach. This, in my opinion, will improve accessibility for fans. Fans will have a better experience, in my opinion.

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