The NFL will undergo a significant shift this year in how its games are broadcast, marking a pivotal moment in the league's embrace of digital platforms.
Reports indicate that no NFL games will be exclusively broadcast on traditional television, meaning every game aired on conventional TV networks like CBS, NBC, or Fox will also be available through streaming services. This change ensures that fans won’t miss out on any game due to it being locked behind a traditional TV-only broadcast, reflecting the growing dominance of streaming in sports media.
Geolocation technology will play a key role here, allowing viewers in specific regions to access these streams without needing a paid subscription, mirroring the local-market availability of over-the-air broadcasts. For example, if a game is on CBS in your area, you might also stream it for free via the Paramount+ app or a similar service, provided you’re within the designated market.
This shift builds on the NFL’s ongoing experimentation with streaming. In recent years, platforms like Amazon Prime Video (Thursday Night Football), Peacock, ESPN+, and even Netflix (which streamed Christmas Day games in 2024) have hosted exclusive broadcasts. By 2025, the league appears to be standardizing this dual-access model, ensuring all games are streamable while maintaining traditional TV as an option. Reports suggest this could be a stepping-stone toward a future where streaming becomes the primary delivery method, potentially phasing out broadcast TV exclusivity as contracts evolve—though the NFL’s current deals with major networks run through 2029, so a full pivot might still be years away.
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