NFL asking for 100% increase on TV rights, Disney pushing back

The Nationwide Soccer League needs to cost its present community companions double what they have been paying to broadcast video games — however Disney is pushing again, citing the excessive price ticket for Monday Evening Soccer.

The NFL is in lively discussions on renewal charges with all 4 of its current community companions — NBC, CBS, Fox, and Disney-owned ESPN, in response to individuals accustomed to the matter. The NFL is hoping to get its major package deal renewals accomplished by March 17, earlier than the beginning of the brand new NFL league 12 months, CNBC reported earlier this month.

NBC, CBS and Fox are more likely to settle for will increase nearer to 100% than Disney, which is presently paying rather more than the three broadcast networks for its Monday Evening Soccer package deal, mentioned the individuals, who requested to not be named as a result of the negotiations are non-public.

Disney agreed to pay $1.9 billion yearly for Monday Evening Soccer in 2011 — a deal that runs by way of 2021. That dwarfed the typical $1.1 billion annual value for Fox, $1 billion annual price ticket for CBS and $960 million for NBC’s Sunday Evening Soccer.

Disney has already rejected paying anyplace near $3.8 billion per 12 months for its new deal, mentioned two of the individuals. Disney CEO Bob Chapek alluded to pushing again on the NFL’s asking worth throughout his firm’s earnings convention name final week.

“We’re wanting on the long-term developments of sports activities viewership,” Chapek mentioned on Feb. 11. “We have had a protracted relationship with the NFL. If there is a deal that will probably be accretive to shareholder worth, we will definitely entertain that and have a look at that. However our first filter will probably be to say whether or not it is smart for shareholder worth going ahead.”

NFL video games have been essentially the most watched programming on tv for a few years. The highest 5 broadcasts of 2020 had been all NFL video games. However there’s been a regarding decline amongst youthful audiences, as evidenced by a decade-long decline in Tremendous Bowl scores amongst 18-to-49-year-olds.

Disney’s Monday Evening Soccer deal is for extra than simply the video games. Disney additionally will get spotlight rights for ESPN, branding rights for exhibits, and — importantly — streaming rights.

The league has requested Disney to pay the identical sort of enhance as its different companions as a result of Disney is asking for extra from the NFL this time round — together with double-header Monday Evening video games, the place one sport airs on ABC, the Disney-owned broadcast community, the individuals mentioned. Disney additionally needs ABC to turn out to be a part of the Tremendous Bowl rotation with NBC, CBS and Fox. ABC was the house of Monday Evening Soccer till 2005.

Disney additionally needs flexibility when it comes to streaming rights as the corporate considers promoting ESPN as a direct-to-consumer product. The NFL plans to incorporate streaming rights as a part of every community package deal, the individuals mentioned.

Additional, the NFL needs so as to add an 18th week of regular-season play as quickly as subsequent season. That is an additional sport for Disney — and each different broadcast companion.

Spokespeople for the NFL and the networks declined to remark.

–CNBC’s Jabari Younger contributed to this story.

Disclosure: NBC is a part of NBCUniversal, the dad or mum firm of CNBC.

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