The National Football League is reportedly pushing for a significant increase in its broadcast deal with Paramount Global, seeking a 50–60% rise in rights fees as part of ongoing negotiations.
According to reports, the league wants the parent company of CBS to raise its annual payment from roughly $2.1 billion to more than $3 billion per year to maintain its current NFL broadcasting rights.
Rights Deals Could Jump Above $3 Billion
If the increase is agreed, each major broadcast partner could soon pay more than $3 billion annually to keep NFL rights packages. The league is reportedly negotiating renewals one broadcaster at a time, starting with Paramount before moving to other partners such as Fox Corporation.
Meanwhile, The Walt Disney Company, which broadcasts NFL games through ESPN, already pays the highest rights fees and could exceed $4 billion annually under a new agreement.
Streaming giant Amazon currently pays about $1 billion per year for its Thursday Night Football package on Prime Video, though future negotiations could also increase that figure.
Early Negotiations Ahead of 2029 Opt-Out
The current NFL media rights agreements were signed in 2021 and run through the 2033–34 season, but they include a 2029 opt-out clause that allows the league to reopen negotiations earlier.
Rather than waiting for that date, the NFL is now working with partners to renegotiate deals ahead of time. Any new agreements would not extend the contracts beyond 2034, but would instead adjust the financial terms while keeping the original timeline intact.
NFL Continues to Drive Record Media Values
The negotiations underline the league’s dominance in sports broadcasting. NFL games consistently rank among the most-watched programs on US television, making them the most valuable live sports property for broadcasters and streaming platforms.
With networks eager to secure premium live sports content, the NFL is once again positioned to reset the market for sports media rights.