NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
The NFL’s media rights deals bring in billions each year to the league, but they are expected to tear up their current paperwork for an even more lucrative one as soon as the 2026 campaign begins.
The NFL was reported to have a fall deadline to complete a new media rights deal, but Puck’s John Ourand reported earlier this month that the league is now believed to want it done before Week 1 in September. Technically, the league cannot exit current media rights agreements until after the 2029 season, but there is not expected to be opposition to doing something new with its partners.
With additional media partners potentially entering the fold of this potential new deal, as well as incumbents like FOX, CBS and NBC, the NFL should receive more of its roughly $10 billion per year.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell looks on during a news conference at Caesars Superdome on February 3, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana, prior to the NFL Super Bowl LIX football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
As a result, one former NFL star believes current players should see a cut, and that’s especially the case if the league gets its way with an 18th game added to the regular season schedule.
“As long as the players are compensated for these games, and they’re not trying to extend these payments and they’re still included in a game, I’m all for it,” former San Diego Chargers and Buffalo Bills linebacker Shawne Merriman said on “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich.” “I’ve always said, have 18 games, cut more preseason games, have more practices, I’ve been saying that for years. If guys get compensated and don’t try to stretch out those payments that they’re already getting and get more money on top of what’s on the table now or get more from the TV deals when the collective bargaining agreement comes up, as long as guys get compensated, I don’t have a problem with that.”
The thing about Merriman’s argument is that the current collective bargaining agreement expires in March 2031 at the end of the league year following the NFL Players Association’s previous negotiations with the league in 2020. However, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell mentioned the potential for early negotiations after the Players Association votes on a new CEO following Lloyd Howell’s resignation.
AN NFL GAME THE NIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING IS OFFICIALLY ‘TOO MUCH FOOTBALL’
If the league wants that 18th game on the schedule, a new or modified collective bargaining agreement would be required to do so.
“The NFL is smart. They’re going to make as much money as possible,” Merriman added. “The TV rights deal will break down soon and will probably double the price they’re charging the networks right now. That’s coming. It’ll happen this year.”
For Merriman, the NFL has been great at monetizing the league’s popularity, especially as it continues its global push. However, would the football fan see an even bigger charge on their bank statements if the league were to “double the price” it charges networks, as Merriman suggested?
Shawne Merriman attends the grand opening of Resorts World Las Vegas on June 24, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ryan Steffy/Getty Images for Resorts World Las Vegas)
The FCC said last month it would seek public comment on the ongoing shift of live sports from broadcast channels to streaming services, which include the country’s other major sports leagues like the NBA, MLB and more. For the NFL specifically, to see every ounce of action during the 2025 season, fans had to pay at least $575, with some spending nearly $800.
For example, new NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers had to pay $276 for the season, but existing customers with a YouTube TV membership had to shell out more than $378. Without a YouTube TV membership, it was $480. Primetime viewing then went to different streaming platforms like Netflix ($7.99 for the cheapest subscription), ESPN’s new streaming service that only includes live sports ($29.99), and Peacock’s “Premium” membership ($10.99) to watch “Sunday Night Football.”
Then, with more international games played, NFL Network needed to be viewed with an NFL+ membership last season worth $6.99 per month.
In total, ESPN cost $179.94, Peacock $54.95, Amazon Prime Video $35.96, and NFL+ $20.97. If we add all this up for new Sunday Ticket subscribers, the cost of the 2025 NFL season for those fans was $575.81. If you were already a Sunday Ticket subscriber without YouTube TV, it was $779.81.
But Merriman knows that fans will continue to pay for the entertainment they love, even if it costs them a lot of money.
Shawne Merriman attends the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures and Gravity Pictures’ ‘The Meg’ at the TCL Chinese Theater IMAX on August 6, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
“I really believe that fans will pay for entertainment. They just will,” he admitted. “If it makes them happy to have more football, or they can go to another game, or buy more merchandise or whatever, fans will do it because it’s entertainment. Most people will pay for entertainment in general.”
Is it fair to the consumer, especially those who might be priced out of their favorite sport?
