The NFL is pushing Paramount Skydance for a substantial increase in the rights fee CBS pays for its Sunday afternoon package, with the midpoint of the current bid-ask spread landing in the 50-60 percent range, according to CNBC’s Alex Sherman.
CBS currently pays roughly $2.1 billion per year on average under its existing deal. A 50 percent hike would push that annual figure past the $3 billion mark, adding at least $1 billion a year.
In return for the higher fee, the league would drop the opt-out clause it holds after the 2029-30 season. That would give CBS a firm runway for the same package of games through the end of the 2033-34 season, with the elevated payments beginning as early as next season for the remaining eight years.
The talks mark the opening of early renegotiations on the NFL’s media deals. The current 11-year agreements began in 2023 and run through 2033-34, but the league retained opt-out rights after 2029-30 for most partners. Commissioner Roger Goodell has previously signaled openness to moving earlier, and the league has been working through partners one by one, starting with Paramount/CBS.
A similar 50 percent increase applied across the board would take each of the league’s major broadcast network packages past $3 billion annually. Incumbent broadcasters could face payments well above that threshold simply to retain their existing rights through the original term ends.
The 50-60 percent range cited by Sherman represents the midpoint between what the NFL is seeking and what is currently being offered, based on people familiar with the discussions. New fees would take effect immediately upon any completed deal rather than waiting until later years of the contract.
Paramount Skydance’s position is shaped by its post-merger structure and ongoing financial considerations. Company executives have previously expressed confidence in maintaining a long-term NFL relationship, though the network’s broader earnings picture and the cost of premium sports rights remain factors in the negotiation.
The talks mark the opening of early renegotiations on the NFL’s media deals. The current 11-year agreements began in 2023 and run through 2033-34, but the league retained opt-out rights after 2029-30 for most partners. Commissioner Roger Goodell has previously signaled openness to moving earlier, and the league has been working through partners one by one, starting with Paramount/CBS.
The 50-60 percent range cited by Sherman represents the midpoint between what the NFL is seeking and what is currently being offered, based on people familiar with the discussions. New fees would take effect immediately upon any completed deal rather than waiting until later years of the contract.
Paramount Skydance’s position is shaped by its post-merger structure and ongoing financial considerations. Company executives have previously expressed confidence in maintaining a long-term NFL relationship, though the network’s broader earnings picture and the cost of premium sports rights remain factors in the negotiation.