Preseason goes to streamers
Big change for fans: starting this year, NFL preseason games will be broadcast by streaming services rather than traditional TV — a shift that expands digital access and changes how fans watch exhibition football (marca.com).
A Sports Business Journal report says NFL owners will consider a proposal at the league’s Annual League Meeting that would allow clubs to sell preseason TV rights and team-produced programming directly to streaming platforms. (sportsbusinessjournal.com) Individual franchises currently sell preseason games to local broadcast affiliates, and those local rights “tend to be priced in the low millions,” with the largest-market teams commanding higher fees. (awfulannouncing.com) The proposal would permit teams to buy the NFL’s permission to distribute their preseason games beyond home markets and to license nongame productions — examples cited include coaches’ shows and locally produced team programming — to streaming services. (awfulannouncing.com) Sources reporting on the plan say major open questions for owners are whether streamer deals would be limited to in‑market windows or allowed nationally, and whether teams that strike lucrative streamer deals would have to share revenue with the league or other clubs. (nbcsports.com) That potential shift would sit alongside existing national preseason inventory: NFL Network already broadcasts selected preseason games nationally and each of the league’s four national TV partners usually airs one preseason tune-up. (support.nfl.com) Owners convened for the Annual League Meeting in Phoenix from March 29 through April 1, 2026, where voting or further negotiation on the proposal — including precise fee levels, geographic reach and any revenue‑sharing framework — could be taken up. (nfl.com)
