The NFL’s latest entry into the UK media sphere is a rather unexpected move into new territory, cleverly arranged and hard to overlook. By striking a deal with Channel 5, the league has positioned itself in British broadcasting in an essential way, offering two live, free-to-air games every Sunday evening. It’s a partnership that could have a significant impact on the international sports broadcasting power dynamic.
The pact between Paramount UK, the NFL, and CBS Sports is not just about more games showing up in TV guides, though. It is really about Britons drastically changing their perception of American football. A 6 pm game will be aired on the main channel, while a 9 pm game will be on 5ACTION, which, on match days, will be called “5NFL”. Neither of the games will have a paywall – something that is quite unusual in a market where the vast majority of major sporting events are behind expensive subscriptions. In addition, it also includes the Super Bowl, Thanksgiving programming, three playoff games, and the London and Dublin international series. As Gerrit Meier, Managing Director and Head of NFL International, put it, this is a “big step towards more coverage every week of the NFL in the UK than ever before.”
The strategy is clear: the NFL wants to grow its audience. Fans who are already very dedicated and hardcore already have a subscription to Sky Sports or DAZN’s Game Pass, but the new agreement is embracing casual fans and newcomers to the sport. By taking down paywalls, the league is opening up the sport. The presenters’ choice—Dermot O’Leary, Sam Quek, and Super Bowl winner twice over Osi Umenyiora—is evidence of an aim to find the right balance between entertainment and authority. Channel 5 is even piloting an interactive “Big Game Night” format during advertisements, making football a more social, participatory form of viewing.
One is rather tempted to take a closer look at the background of sports broadcasting when one tries to single out the factors that shed light on the importance of this move. What really concerned the leagues at the inception of sports broadcasting was that TV, according to them, would cannibalize ticket sales. The NFL was, however, the first to realizethatt on the contrary, broadcasting was the secret to expansion. The move made by the NFL to combine TV rights and distribute the income among clubs in the 1960s was very significant, as it not only brought the league financial safety but also made it the biggest in the US sports market. It was a progressive decision that changed the way sports leagues looked at media.
UK, however, remains a different place. For years, the Premier League has been the dominant force behind the pay-TV system, which has not only limited live access but has also caused fans to have to subscribe to the expensive and scattered Sky, TNT Sports, and Amazon Prime. Only 200 out of the 380 games in the league are broadcast live on UK TV. Therefore, the free-to-air NFL strategy seems to be so incredibly different as it is still managing to lure in more fans by giving access to those who do not want to pay for sports and also by offering the game to those who are not familiar with the sport and would like to learn more about it through high-quality free content availability.
Indeed, the technological changes have only strengthened the advantages of the strategy. The general shift towards streaming services, smart TVs, and on-demand viewing has significantly changed the way people consume their favorite shows, thus putting traditional broadcasters in a very tricky position. It is worth mentioning that the NFL has been very creative in its response to the shift by trying out digital platforms like DAZN’s Game Pass and YouTube’s overseas streams. However, the Channel 5 agreement reaffirms that free-to-air television still has a lot of power to engage large audiences and to draw new fan bases.
The UK push is all part of a larger global play. The NFL is going global, with regular-season games in London, Dublin, Berlin, Madrid, and São Paulo. Its media strategy is multifaceted, using free-to-air, pay-TV, and streaming platforms to ensure it reaches every corner. It’s a strategy geared to maximize coverage and beef up its footprint in several markets simultaneously.
The change might alter the sports media business in a significant way for a long time. Ben Frow, Paramount UK’s Chief Content Officer, described the deal as “a real step forward, bringing fans and families live games in primetime, all completely free-to-air.” It is testing the traditional belief that the biggest sporting events have to be inaccessible unless you pay a high subscription fee. If the NFL’s gambit turns out to be successful, it would likely trigger other leagues and broadcasters to reassess their current models; hence, a more open and competitive sports media landscape would be possible.
The free-to-air deal of the NFL with Channel 5 is not just a contract but a declaration of intent. By facilitating access, promoting innovation, and allowing everyone to have the games, the league is reaching out to a very valuable market abroad. It’s a clear-cut step in its search to become not just America’s game but a global force in sports entertainment.