NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
The NFL’s media rights deals bring in billions each year for the league, but it is expected to rip up its current paperwork for an even more lucrative contract as soon as the 2026 campaign begins.
The NFL reportedly had a fall deadline to reach a new media rights deal, but Puck’s John Ourand reported earlier this month that it’s now estimated the league wants that done before the first week of September. Technically, the league cannot end current media rights agreements before the 2029 season, but there should be no opposition to doing something new with its partners.
With other media partners likely to come into the fold in this potential new deal, as well as incumbents like FOX, CBS and NBC, the NFL stands to see more than its roughly $10 billion per year.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell attends a press 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 experience a reduction, and that’s especially the case if the league succeeds with an 18th game added to the regular season schedule.
“As long as the players are paid for those games, and they’re not trying to stretch those payments and they’re still included in one game, I’m all for it,” Shawne Merriman, former San Diego Chargers and Buffalo Bills linebacker, 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 the guys are getting compensated and they’re not trying to extend those payments, they’re already getting paid and they’re getting more money on top of what’s on the table now or they’re getting more from the TV deals when the collective bargaining agreement comes around, as long as the guys are getting paid, I have no problem with that.”
The problem with Merriman’s argument is that the current CBA 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 voted on a new executive director following the resignation of Lloyd Howell.
AN NFL GAME THE NIGHT BEFORE MERCI IS OFFICIALLY “TOO MUCH FOOTBALL”
If the league wants this 18th game on the schedule, a new or amended collective agreement would be necessary to do so.
“The NFL is smart. They’re going to make as much money as possible,” Merriman added. “The TV rights deal, they’re going to tear it up here soon and probably double the price they’re charging the networks right now. It’s coming. It’s going to happen this year.”
According to Merriman, the NFL has done an excellent job of monetizing the league’s popularity, especially as it continues its global expansion. However, will football fans see even bigger fees on their bank statements if the league were to “double the price” it charges the networks, as Merriman suggests?
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 includes the nation’s other major sports leagues like the NBA, MLB and others. For the NFL specifically, to witness every ounce of action throughout the 2025 season, fans had to pay at least $575, with some spending almost $800.
For example, new NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers had to pay $276 for the season, but existing customers with a YouTube TV subscription had to shell out more than $378. Without a YouTube TV subscription, it was $480. Then the prime time slots were allocated to different streaming platforms like Netflix ($7.99 for the cheapest subscription), ESPN’s new streaming service to include only live sports ($29.99) and Peacock’s “Premium” subscription ($10.99) to watch “Sunday Night Football.”
Then, with more international games being played, NFL Network had to be watched with an NFL+ subscription 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. Add all that up for new Sunday Ticket subscribers, and the cost of the 2025 NFL season for those fans was $575.81. If you already subscribed to Sunday Ticket without YouTube TV, it would cost you $779.81.
But Merriman knows fans will continue to pay for the entertainment they love, even if it costs them.
Shawne Merriman attends the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures and Gravity Pictures of “The Meg” at the TCL Chinese Theater IMAX on August 6, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Christophe Polk/Getty Images)
“I truly believe that fans will pay to be entertained. They just will,” he admitted. “If it makes them happy to have more football, or if 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 this fair to the consumer, especially those who might find themselves excluded from their favorite sport?
