NFL executives ‘irritated’ by $2.5bn NBC decision with record-breaking TV rights deal loophole to be exploited

‘Frustrated’ NFL executives are expecting a bumper new TV deal in the wake of NBC’s multi-billion dollar agreement with the NBA.

The NBA announced its new 11-year, $77 billion agreement with ESPN/ABC, NBCUniversal, and Amazon Prime Video in July 2024.

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This season is the first year under the agreement that set NBA records for both it’s length and total value.

NBC is paying roughly $2.5 billion per year for the NBA rights, which also includes Sunday Night Basketball, and it currently pays around $2 billion annually for Sunday Night Football rights.

The deal was generally well-received, but not everyone was thrilled by the amount of money.

NFL execs left annoyed by NBC’s mega NBA deal

NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, and the league’s 32 owners are driven by the idea that the current batch of NFL media deals are undervalued.

In an appearance on Andrew Marchand’s podcast, John Ourand indicated just how NFL executives are feeling about the deal.

“Executives at the NFL are irritated. That deal irritated them,” Ourand said.

“The idea that NBC is paying more for Sunday Night Basketball than for Sunday Night Football. These are people and personalities, and it makes the executives at the NFL crazy that that happens.

“So could they come in and just start to turn the screw because of that NBA deal?”

Ourand also noted that he doesn’t see streamers being able to swoop in and take some NFL rights away from the broadcasters, but Marchand was more optimistic.

Streaming services are now firmly in the sports business, with Netflix set to spend close to $20 billion on content this year, while also investing in live sports.

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The indication of executive feelings comes just as discussions are taking place over the NFL’s current broadcasting deal.

NFL expected to renegotiate media rights deals before 2029

Last year, reports began suggesting that the NFL would likely seek to renegotiate its media rights deals before its opt-out options in 2029 (or 2030 for its ESPN contract).

This is further supported by the UFC‘s massive seven year, $7.7 billion deal to move from ESPN to Paramount that was signed in late 2025.

During the 2025 season, the NFL was averaging 18.7 million viewers per game, which was the biggest audience for the league since 1989.

They are widely considered the biggest ratings driver of all the top sports, and want to seek more money for their rights.

The NFL audience puts other sports in the shade in the United States when it comes to viewing figures, which is why they pay a lot of attention to what they are being paid by their rival leagues and sports organizations.

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Given the NFL is still in the early stages of it’s most recent agreement, the chance to move quickly will likely move further up the agenda at the next owner’s meetings.

The league is already making it’s push towards a more global marketing, with it’s biggest ever international slate on games in 2026.

Nine games will be played across the globe, including a return to Mexico City and for the first time games in Paris, France and Melbourne, Australia.

They will join a list that includes London, Germany, Spain and Brazil.

NFL owners and executives are not not for sitting back, and the chance to take advantage of their contract loophole in a dash for more cash appears to have already been stirred.

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