The NFL just announced latest contract with Peacock which supplies the NBCUniversal-owned streaming service the national rights to broadcast one wildcard playoff game next season. Described as “the primary ever exclusive NFL Playoff game to be televised live”, it’s going to feature the 2 teams facing off in prime time on January 13, 2024. Wall Street Journalwhich cites sources that say the deal for this one game is value around $110 million.
Of course, we do not know which two teams can be playing, but for fans without Peacock, the viewing options may depend upon where you reside. With a daily season game (Bills vs. Chargers on December 23, or as it’s possible you’ll know, game Burn Everything), which can even be exclusive to Peacock, the sport can be streamed in those teams’ local markets by partner NBC and NFL Plus, the league’s streaming platform for phones and tablets, but not TVs.
The exclusive Peacock Wild Card game and regular season game can be broadcast on NBC stations within the two rival team cities and available on NFL+ mobile devices. The NFL is the one sports league to present all regular season and postseason games on free terrestrial television in local markets.
According to WSJwhen the league made latest broadcasting deals in 2021, it reserved the rights to at least one playoff game per season, and this NBCUniversal deal only lasts beyond the 2023 season. Hans Schroeder, executive director of NFL Media, said it was “probably” in future In the years to come back, the sport will proceed to be streaming-only, which could attract offers to incorporate it on platforms, including Peacock again, Viacom’s Paramount Plus, Disney’s ESPN Plus streaming, or Fox’s Tubi.
Disclosure: Comcast, which owns NBCUniversal, can also be an investor in Vox Media, Edgeis the parent company.
