CBS Intends To Retain NFL Rights

CBS is prepared to “do what is necessary” to hang on to its NFL rights. That was the message sent by CBS acting CEO Joe Ianniello and CBS Sports chief Sean McManus Thursday during CBS’ fourth-quarter earnings call, reports Variety.

Ianniello and McManus both talked up the virtues of having the NFL on broadcast TV, which remains ubiquitous even in a fragmented media landscape. CBS’ deal for its Sunday afternoon package of AFC games runs through 2022, and already there is much speculation in media and Wall Street circles about CBS and other broadcasters vying against digital behemoths in the next round of NFL rights talks.

McManus said he believes the NFL will continue to “strongly value and prioritize the reach of broadcast television” as it considers options for new rights deals. Big-ticket sports and event rights are seen as crucial to the survival of linear TV, which still has an advantage over on-demand streaming platforms in drawing crowds for must-see live broadcasts.

McManus predicted that substantive talks between major networks and the league will not begin until next year as the NFL first has to hammer out what is expected to be a tough new collective bargaining agreement with its players. CBS has had good relations with the league ever since it reacquired football rights in 1998, after being outmaneuvered by Fox in 1993.

Ianniello emphasized the growth in CBS’ direct-to-consumer platforms — CBS All Access and the standalone Showtime app — that has paced ahead of projections the company made in 2016. Together, CBS All Access and Showtime have surpassed 8 million subscribers, a benchmark that CBS originally projected it would hit in 2020. Ianniello said the company’s new growth target is for both to have 25 million by 2022.