NFL Reportedly Shopping Rights to Broadcast Thursday Night Football

According to Claire Atkinson of the New York Post, the NFL is shopping around its Thursday Night Football package and is even offering a stake in the NFL Network in negotiations.   

Atkinson reported the league would be willing to offer broadcast rights for a full 16 games for its Thursday night schedule. CBS currently owns the rights to broadcast eight Thursday night games as a part of its $300 million deal with the league, with those games also airing on the NFL Network and the rest of the broadcast games remaining solely on the NFL Network.

CBS, Fox, NBC and Turner’s TNT are all reportedly thought to be in the bidding for the extended package being offered by the NFL (Turner is the parent company of Bleacher Report). There were also talks of selling the NFL Network to ESPN, though those talks fell through, and ESPN reportedly isn't interested in this latest package offering.

Per Atkinson, the league is concerned with the shrinking subscriber base that is affecting cable television in general, as more folks turn to streaming services and online options. Marisa Guthrie of the Hollywood Reporter added the league is likely to sell its Thursday night package in a multiyear deal and may also include global digital rights to its international games to sweeten the pot. 

For networks either wanting to add NFL offerings or enhance their current slate of NFL programming, a full schedule of Thursday games, a piece of the NFL Network and digital rights to the international games may be worth what will likely be a very lucrative deal for the NFL.