Changes on way in networks' new NFL deals

By Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY

Updated

In the NFL's longest TV deals, CBS, Fox and NBC on Wednesday got games through 2022.

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  By Brett Davis, US Presswire

  As part of the new NFL TV deal NBC, which features Cris Collinsworth, pictured, and Al Michaels in the booth, will take over the broadcast of the NFL's prime-time Thanksgiving Day game.

By Brett Davis, US Presswire

As part of the new NFL TV deal NBC, which features Cris Collinsworth, pictured, and Al Michaels in the booth, will take over the broadcast of the NFL's prime-time Thanksgiving Day game.

The networks understandably moved now because they were in a negotiating time window when other networks could not bid on their NFL TV packages, which expire after the 2013 season. The new deals were the latest whopping price hikes for NFL games, which this fall TV season accounted for 23 of the 25 highest-rated shows.

CBS, Fox and NBC, now collectively paying the NFL about $1.93 billion annually, will pay a total of about $3.1 billion ? a 60% jump. Total NFL national media revenues, estimates SportsBusiness Daily, might reach $7 billion annually.

What's changing:

?Streaming: Networks will be able to stream their games on devices such as tablets. But don't expect to see every game, which would intrude on DirecTV's pay service and could hurt ratings for networks' regionalized TV coverage. CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus says CBS hasn't finalized streaming plans, "but we have to respect regionalization of games."

?ESPN playoffs? Next year, NBC takes the Thanksgiving prime-time game from NFL Network, which could add more Thursday night games. In 2014, NBC gets one divisional playoff game annually and gives up one wild-card game. That wild-card game could go to ESPN, which recently extended its NFL rights through 2021 as it pays about $1.8 billion annually.

?New flexibility: NBC Sports Chairman Mark Lazarus says NBC will get "opportunities earlier" in seasons for Sunday afternoon games to move to NBC Sunday prime time to avoid early-season matchups that already look like a "disaster scenario."

But games moved to NBC Sunday prime time, as they are now moved occasionally via flexibility scheduling, have to come from Sunday afternoon games on CBS and Fox. And to help bolster Sunday afternoon time slots, which produce the NFL's highest ratings, CBS' AFC package in the new deals will include some regularly scheduled NFC games and Fox's NFC package will get some AFC games.

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