Roger Goodell: NFL "will look at" its options after change in control over CBS
With the long-delayed Skydance-Paramount merger suddenly undelayed, the NFL has a decision to make.
Under its contract with CBS, the league can pull the plug on the deal after a change in control of the company.
Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about the possibility this week during an appearance on CNBC.
“We’ve had a long relationship with CBS for decades," Goodell said, via Brendon Kleen of AwfulAnnouncing.com. "We also have a relationship outside of that with Skydance. So I don’t anticipate that that’s something that we’ll see. We have a two-year period to make that decision. I don’t see that happening, but we have that option, and that’s something we’ll take a look at.”
The CBS relationship was paused from 1994 through 1997. Fox took the NFC package from CBS, and CBS took the AFC package from NBC. CBS has held the Sunday afternoon package (which predominantly features AFC games) since 1998.
The current broadcast deals run through 2033. The league has an option to pull the plug on all contracts after the 2029 season. Given the rights fees recently paid for the NBA, it's widely expected that the NFL will exercise its right to end the existing deals early.
On Monday, John Ourand of Puck reported that the league "could" extend all of the deals before 2029, using the waiver of its ability to scrap the deals after 2029 to secure a sweetener through 2034 or 2035.
It's ultimately two separate issues. One, put the CBS contract out to bid. Two, extend all deals with the current partners before putting all contracts out to bid.