All articles tagged with #broadcasting rights
Hydration breaks at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, initially justified by heat, are likely to persist as broadcasters monetize the pauses with substantial ad time, potentially delivering hundreds of millions in revenue and shaping future tournaments, even as some critics worry about rhythm disruption.
Hydration breaks at World Cup 2026, meant to protect players in heat, drew mixed reactions—from players and managers criticizing sponsor-driven interruptions to officials defending them as a safety layer; broadcasters stand to gain major ad inventory, with estimates around $250 million in ads across the tournament, fueling a broader debate over safety, advertising and the match experience.
A House Judiciary subcommittee’s data from YouTube shows roughly 70% of Sunday Ticket subscribers watch only one NFL team, while many canceled because it’s expensive, challenging the NFL’s claim that Sunday Ticket is a fair premium product and potentially weakening its antitrust defense in the ongoing fight over out‑of‑market rights and pricing.
A seven-year, $7.7 billion media deal shifts live Cup Series coverage to Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports, with the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville (the 14th points race) airing on Prime Video at 7:00 p.m. ET on May 31; Fox ends live Cup coverage this season, NBC's portion is reduced and largely moved to USA Network, and TNT will air five races starting in late June while Prime covers several races including Michigan, Pocono, and the Coronado Street Course.
NFL's 2026 game slate appears to be moving away from YouTube, with Netflix expected to carry three of five games and the remaining two potentially shopped to CBS, NBC, ESPN, or Fox. YouTube could end up with nothing beyond its existing Sunday Ticket package as the league shifts to broader weekly packages and broader partner deals.
Netflix will televise the Week 1 49ers-Rams game from Australia, marking its third NFL telecast of 2026 as the league splits four games absorbed from ESPN between Netflix and YouTube; NBC will carry the season opener on Sept. 9 and the second game will stream, with Netflix expected to pick up more big events later in 2026, including a first-ever Thanksgiving Eve game.
A Florio column warns that weakening or removing the NFL’s antitrust exemption could force changes to how game rights are sold (potentially ending the current broadcast bundle), create large gaps in team profitability, disrupt the salary-cap system, and even drive a split into rival leagues or relegation-like outcomes. It draws a parallel to ongoing college-football upheaval, but suggests the NFL’s chaos could be harder to fix and may require federal intervention.
To avoid Friday broadcast conflicts, the NFL will open Week 1 this year with a Wednesday-Thursday slate, starting with the Seahawks hosting on Wednesday, Sept. 9 and the 49ers-Rams game on Thursday, Sept. 10 in Australia. The plan is expected to recur in 2027–2028, with Wednesday-Thursday as the likely format when Thursday-Friday won’t work, and a potential return of Friday play in 2029–2033. A future Labor Day weekend shift could occur if the league expands to 18 games and two byes.
The NFL is exploring adding a Wednesday night game the week of Thanksgiving to the 2026 schedule. Meetings at the end of March will discuss the idea, and if approved the league would pursue selling broadcasting rights for a standalone game as part of an expanded Thanksgiving slate.
NASCAR has announced revised practice and qualifying formats for the 2025 season, increasing practice times and simplifying starting lineup rules across its national series. The changes include longer group practice sessions, single-round qualifying at most tracks, and specific procedures for different track types. The Daytona Speedweek schedule has also been set, with a new 50-minute practice session before the Daytona 500. Broadcast rights for these sessions will be shared among Prime Video, TNT Sports, FOX Sports, and The CW, as part of a new seven-year media rights deal.
Penn State's College Football Playoff game against SMU will be a White Out but will kick off at noon instead of primetime. This decision was made because ESPN, which sublicensed the game to TNT, chose to air other matchups in primetime slots. ESPN prioritized games like Notre Dame-Indiana and Ohio State-Tennessee for primetime due to their high-profile nature and potential for better ratings.
FIFA has secured a $1 billion deal with DAZN to broadcast the 2024 Club World Cup in the United States, making all 63 matches available for free on DAZN's platform. This agreement follows failed negotiations with Apple and allows DAZN to sub-license to local broadcasters. FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the deal as making the tournament the most accessible ever, featuring 32 top clubs, including Manchester City and Real Madrid. The tournament will run from June 15 to July 13, with the final at MetLife Stadium in New York.
TNT Sports has secured a five-year sub-licensing deal with ESPN to broadcast College Football Playoff games, starting this season. The agreement includes two first-round games for the first two years and expands to include two quarterfinals in the following three years. The games will be produced by ESPN but branded as TNT Sports. This deal is separate from TNT's ongoing negotiations with the NBA. ESPN retains the majority of CFP rights under its $7.8 billion agreement.
Warner Bros. Discovery has signed a five-year sublicensing deal with ESPN to broadcast first-round and quarterfinal College Football Playoff games on TNT, starting this year. The deal, which runs through 2031, allows Warner Bros. Discovery to air two first-round games initially, with additional quarterfinals starting in 2026. Disney retains exclusivity on the championship game and may sublicense a semifinals game in the future. This move bolsters Warner Bros. Discovery's sports offerings amid ongoing negotiations with the NBA and the launch of the Venu Sports streaming service.
Diamond Sports Group, which holds broadcasting rights for 38 teams across MLB, NBA, and NHL, has been allowed to continue working on a restructuring plan backed by $450 million in financing. Major League Baseball remains skeptical about the plan's viability and the long-term health of Diamond. The next crucial step is the confirmation of the plan, scheduled for June 18, with objections due by May 22. MLB and other partner leagues have expressed concerns, and Diamond is in talks with distributors and pursuing longer-term deals with the NBA and NHL.