Andrew Bershaw | Icon Sportswire | Getty Images The National Football League plans to select a streaming service as its new Sunday Ticket partner and will choose a winner by the fall, Commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday. “I clearly think we’re going to move to a streaming service,” Goodell told CNBC’s Julia Boorstin in an exclusive interview at the Allen & Co. conference. Sun Valley. “I think that’s what’s best for consumers at this stage.” Sunday Ticket is the only way fans can watch Sunday afternoon NFL games live, other than what is broadcast in their local markets on CBS and FOX. DirecTV paid $1.5 billion for annual rights. The NFL now wants more than $2 billion a year, CNBC reported. Contract language with CBS and Fox would prevent any streaming service from charging fans significantly less than the current $300 cost for the Sunday Ticket, CNBC reported. DirecTV is not bidding to renew the package, but is willing to work with the winner, CNBC reported. In its current deal with the NFL, DirecTV requires customers who sign up for the Sunday Ticket to also sign up for its pay-TV service, with rare exceptions. That requirement will disappear with a new streaming service partner, potentially opening up Sunday Ticket to a much wider audience. Goodell noted that many people who watch games on a streaming service don’t subscribe to traditional pay TV, allowing the league to capture a wider audience by moving Sunday Ticket to a digital provider. “We really believe that these new platforms enable us to innovate where we are today,” Goodell said. “Obviously it makes it more available to our consumers, particularly the younger demographics, which we really want to reach. I think that will make it more accessible for fans. I think it will be a better experience for fans.”
NFL+ confirmed
Goodell also confirmed that the league will launch its own streaming service, called NFL+, in time for the upcoming season in September. He did not provide details on pricing or what will be available on the service, but emphasized that NFL+ content will likely improve over time. “It’s really early stage,” Goodell said. “I think over the years it will continue to grow. It will be an important strategy for us going forward.” Sports Business Journal reported in May that NFL+ is expected to launch later this month. WATCH: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks to CNBC’s Julia Boorstin in Sun Valley
