NFL Network — BrandWiki

NFL Network

Overview

NFL Network

area
launch date	November 4, 2003
picture format	1080i HDTV (downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed)
owner	NFL Media (ESPN via ABC Inc. and the NFL)
country	United States
language	English

headquarters	Inglewood, California, U.S.

sister channels	ABC ESPN ESPN2 ESPN DTC ESPN+ ESPNews ESPNU ESPN Deportes ACC Network SEC Network NFL RedZone

website	nfl.com/network

online serv 1	Service(s)

online chan 1	DirecTV Stream, FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, YouTube TV

NFL Network (occasionally abbreviated on-air as NFLN) is an American sports-oriented pay television network owned by NFL Media, a joint venture of ESPN (via ABC Inc.) and the NFL. Dedicated to American football, the network features game telecasts from the NFL, as well as NFL-related content including analysis programs, specials and documentaries.

The network is headquartered in the NFL Los Angeles building located next to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and broadcasts its worldwide feed from Encompass Digital Media (formerly Crawford Communications, and Broadcast Facilities Inc.[1]) in Atlanta, Georgia.[2] It has secondary East Coast facilities in the NFL Films building in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.

As of June 2023, NFL Network was available in 51.5 million television households in the United States, which was down from approximately 71.1 million households as of February 2015,[3] as cord cutting continues to affect the industry.[4]

In 2026, it was announced that the network was one of the NFL media assets whose acquisition by ESPN, Inc. was completed following regulatory approval in the U.S.[5][6]

History

NFL Network was launched on November 4, 2003, only eight months after the owners of the league's 32 teams voted unanimously to approve its formation. Originally located in the Los Angeles suburb of Culver City, California, the league invested $100 million to fund the network's operations. NFL Films, which produces commercials, television programs, and feature films for the NFL, is a key supplier of NFL Network's programming, with more than 4,000 hours of footage available in its library. As a result, much of the network's highlights and recaps feature NFL Films' trademark style of slow-motion game action, sounds of the game, and sideline conversations between players and team staff. Both the network's site and app, were launched in 2004 (on NFL.com) and 2009, respectively.

Beginning with the 2006 season, the network began to broadcast eight regular-season NFL games during Thursday prime time, branded as Thursday Night Football. In addition to live games, the network has provided coverage of the NFL draft since 2006; its coverage competes with that provided by ESPN and ESPN2. It was simulcast in a co-production with Fox Sports for the 2018 edition, though this was only a one-year agreement as exclusive over-the-air broadcast rights moved to ABC for the 2019 edition, which saw ESPN produce a different broadcast for 'casual' fans. In 2020, the network simulcast ESPN's coverage of that year's draft which was produced remotely from the basement of commissioner Roger Goodell’s home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Programming

NFL game telecasts

NFL Network introduced original game broadcasts in the 2006 season via the Run to the Playoffs—a late-season package of Thursday- and Saturday-night games, branded as Thursday Night Football and Saturday Night Football respectively. After most Saturday games were dropped from the package beginning in the 2008 season, all of the games were branded as Thursday Night Football regardless of night beginning in 2009. Starting with the 2012 season, Thursday Night Football expanded to include a weekly game from Weeks 2 through 15 (excluding the Kickoff Game and Thanksgiving Day, which is held by NBC), as well as one Saturday night game during Week 16. As a result, every NFL team now appears in at least one timeslot-exclusive nationally televised game per-season.

As with the games broadcast by ESPN's Monday Night Football, the NFL Network telecasts are also aired on a designated broadcast television station in the primary markets of the participating teams, although prior to the suspension of blackout rules in 2015 stations in the home team's market only carried it if the televised game sold out all remaining available tickets 72 hours prior to the game's start time.

When Thursday Night Football premiered, veteran television announcer Bryant Gumbel served as play-by-play announcer, with former Fox and current NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth serving as color commentator for the broadcasts.[17]

High definition

NFL Network HD is a 1080i high definition simulcast feed of NFL Network that launched in August 2004. It is available nationally on satellite providers DirecTV and Dish Network, and regionally on Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse and most Comcast and Cogeco Cable systems.

In mid-October 2008, in-studio programs began to air in "enhanced HD", featuring contained additional scores and statistics on a dedicated wing on the right side of the screen that was only visible on the HD feed. Content that is presented in 4:3 standard definition is shown with stylized pillarboxes, or for some footage, blurred pillarbox wings. On May 1, 2009, NFL Total Access began airing in full HD without pillarboxing or enhanced graphics; this was followed by the upgrade of NFL GameDay to HD the following September.

Most providers began to exclusively carry the HD feed of the network during 2011, transmitting a downscaled and letterboxed version of the HD feed to provide the channel in 4:3 standard definition for analog viewers without any deviation, including the "NFL HD" logo. The standard definition feed was discontinued entirely in July 2012, concurrent with the introduction of the network's current logo.

NFL RedZone channel

The NFL RedZone channel is a special game-day only channel that broadcasts on Sundays during the regular season from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time (10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time). RedZone provides "whip around" coverage of all Sunday afternoon games airing in-progress on CBS and Fox. Whenever a team enters the red zone, the coverage will switch full-screen over to the live feed of that game's television broadcast, and attempt to cover a potential scoring result (touchdown or field goal). The coverage is hosted by Scott Hanson. This is not to be confused with the former DirecTV-exclusive channel which was a part of NFL Sunday Ticket until the end of the 2022 season.

Starting in 2016, NFL Network during the offseason replayed one week of NFL RedZone every Sunday from the previous season.

International distribution

Canada

NFL Network was approved for distribution on Canadian television providers by the CRTC in 2004;[52] any NFL Network-exclusive live games are blacked out on the feed distributed in Canada, as those games are aired on Bell Media's networks, including TSN and CTV/CTV 2.

NFL Network is also offered as part of DAZN's NFL Game Pass service as of 2017.[53]

United Kingdom

It was reported that the network would be made available in the United Kingdom in 2008.[54]

Carriage and distribution complications

The launch of the Thursday Night Football package led NFL Network to increasingly insist on carriage on lower subscription tiers of television providers; in particular, demanding carriage on a basic package and a carriage fee of $0.61 per subscriber. Time Warner Cable and other major cable providers wished to place it on a sports tier. Cable companies felt that a channel with such marginal interest, few live games, and filler programming, would be tough to sell outside of the football season.[55] In February 2008, The Wall Street Journal reported that the NFL had been in discussion with Disney executives over the possibility of partnering with ESPN to bolster NFL Network; one analyst suggested the possibility of NFL Network being combined into its lesser-viewed, but better-carried ESPN Classic channel.[56]

2006 free preview

NFL Network offered a free preview from December 24 to 30, 2006 to Suddenlink Communications systems in West Texas, and to Time Warner Cable

Carriage disputes

Cablevision

The network refused to be carried on Cablevision in 2004, but that this dispute ended in 2006, when the network was added to Cablevision.

External links

References

Broadcast Facilities Inc. Rebrands as Encompass Digital Media TVTechnology, 2010-07-21, retrieved 2024-07-31^
Crawford distributes NFL Network via satellite services Broadcast Engineering November 28, 2008^
Robert Seidman. List of how many homes each cable network is in as of February 2015

Other football

Arena Football League

NFL Network held the broadcast rights to the revived Arena Football League from 2010 to 2012. Starting with the 2010 season, the network broadcast a weekly Friday Night Football game each week during the regular season and playoff games at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time from March to August, in addition to rights to playoff games and the ArenaBowl. The NFL stated that unlike when the NFL last showed interest in arena football, there would be no attempts to buy into the league.[25] Broadcasters for the games included Kurt Warner, Tom Waddle, Paul Burmeister, Fran Charles, Charles Davis and Ari Wolfe.

NFL Network ceased airing Arena Football League games partway through the 2012 season as a result of ongoing labor problems within the league. The season's remaining games were carried on a tape delay before the network terminated the league broadcast contract outright at the end of the season; the rights were then obtained by CBS Sports Network.

In March 2024, the NFL announced they would broadcast 30 regular season games from the 2024 revival of the AFL on NFL Network.[26] The league never carried any games, with West Texas Desert Hawks owner Zack Bugg accusing the network of malfeasance after he personally paid for one of his team's games to be televised only for the network never to carry it[27] and claim they never received the money. Another league member, the Albany Firebirds, indicated that the network had refused to carry the games because the league had a number of small-market teams (including West Texas) that "scared (them) off."[28] Oregon Blackbears president Patrick Johnson was among the league's franchisees who was against the NFL Network deal, noting the predatory structure required the league to pay the network a brokerage fee but did not allow the league to sell advertising nor share in any advertising sales the network sold.[29]

College football

In 2006, NFL Network began a foray into televising college football bowl games, acquiring rights to the newly established Texas Bowl in Houston (whose management rights were held by the Houston Texans at the time), the Insight Bowl, as well as two all-star events—the Senior Bowl (which features prospects that had completed their college eligibility) and the Las Vegas All-American Classic (which, however, was cancelled at the last minute due to financial and sponsorship issues). These games were intended to help make NFL Network more attractive to television providers.[30][31][32][33] The 2006 Insight Bowl, played between Minnesota and Texas Tech, would also achieve notoriety for featuring the largest comeback victory in Division I FBS bowl game history, with Texas Tech coming back from a 38–7 third-quarter deficit to win 44–41 in overtime.[34]

High school football

NFL Network aired two high school all-star games in June 2007: the Bayou Bowl between players from Texas and Louisiana on June 9 (via a live feed from regional sports network FSN Southwest), and the Big 33 Football Classic between players from Pennsylvania and Ohio on June 16 (sharing its feed with CN8 (now the Comcast Network) and cable outlets in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Ohio).

For the 2023 off-season, the NFL Network broadcast delayed games from the 7-on-7 Overtime's football league (OT7). In 2024 the network had live coverage of OT7's five-week regular season.[26]

Canadian Football League

On July 1, 2010, NFL Network began airing live Canadian Football League games simulcast from Canadian sports network TSN. NFL Network aired the league's Thursday games, three Saturday games during the month of July, and then Friday night games beginning in September (after ArenaBowl XXIII). NFL Network did not air CFL games during August as it carried a heavy amount of NFL preseason game broadcasts.[42][43] In addition, NFL Network did not carry any playoff games, including the Grey Cup championship, as those games are all played on Sundays opposite NFL regular season games. Those games were instead broadcast on the ESPN3 online service (ESPN owns a 20% interest in TSN, in a joint venture with majority parent Bell Media). On May 25, 2012, NFL Network announced it would not renew its contract with the CFL.[44] The package was subsequently acquired by the NBC Sports Network, then by the ESPN networks.

NFL Network expressed interest in picking up CFL games again beginning in the 2019 season after its previous deal with ESPN expired.

Alliance of American Football

On January 31, 2019, NFL Network signed a multi-year deal to air Alliance of American Football games, broadcasting two games per week, most of them on Saturday and Sunday nights.[48] As with all other AAF games, the broadcasts were produced in conjunction with CBS Sports.[49] The league ultimately folded in the middle of its inaugural season.[50]

United Football League

On March 17, 2026, NFL Network announced it would carry two United Football League games, with those two games being produced by ESPN.[51]

College football

On April 14, 2007, the network televised the Nebraska Cornhuskers' spring football game. The network again aired the Insight, Texas and Senior bowls in late 2007 and early 2008. In addition, it carried two games between historically black colleges and universities during the 2007 season, including the Circle City Classic at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana. Rights to the Insight and Texas Bowls were later acquired by ESPN (with the former later moving to Fox Sports).

In May 2019, NFL Network announced a four-year deal with Conference USA to air a weekly regular-season game on Saturday afternoons beginning in the 2019 season.[36] NFL Network opted out of the agreement after one season.[37]

Since 2019, NFL Network has annually carried the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic, a college football kickoff game that features a matchup of two historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) on the Sunday before Labor Day.[38] The HBCU Legacy Bowl, a postseason all-star game involving draft-eligible HBCU players, also has broadcast rights held by NFL Network.[39]

In the 2022 season, NFL Network returned to carrying regular college football games through a weekly sub-license agreement with ESPN.[37][40][41]

2007 Patriots vs. Giants controversy

In December 2007, U.S. Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell asking for the league to settle their differences in time for the New England Patriots-New York Giants game on December 29 that would be broadcast on Saturday Night Football. The game was the Patriots' record-sealing win that made them the first undefeated team through the regular season in 35 years. Kerry urged for a solution to be decided upon in time so that Americans could witness "a historic event".[61] An agreement was worked out between the NFL and two of the league's television partners, NBC and CBS, to allow the NFL Network broadcast of the game to be simulcast on those networks, resulting in the first NFL simulcast since Super Bowl I and the first three-network simulcast in the history of the league.[62]

In addition, New York City area MyNetworkTV owned-and-operated station WWOR-TV (channel 9), and Hearst Television-owned ABC affiliates WCVB-TV (channel 5) in Boston and WMUR-TV (channel 9) in Manchester, New Hampshire, expressed dissatisfaction over the CBS/NBC simulcast, stating it violated their agreements with the network. The stations had already been scheduled to air the game, as per NFL rules. Greg Aiello, an NFL spokesperson, stated that NBC and CBS would not have agreed to present the simulcast without clearing the game nationally, including the aforementioned markets. WWOR came to an agreement with the network and showed the game along with WNBC and WCBS-TV (channel 2) in the New York City market. WCVB also would still televise the game and stated that it was still working toward resolving issues with the NFL Network over additional coverage rights.[63] The result of these arrangements was that viewers in the New York, Boston and New Hampshire areas could see the game on up to four networks. Also in addition, satellite provider Dish Network and radio companies Sirius XM Radio and Entercom, expressed dissatisfaction over the NBC/CBS simulcast.

RCN Corporation, the 12th-largest cable provider in the U.S., stated that the league's deal with CBS and NBC "devalues its contract with the league’s in-house service." Greg Aiello, an NFL spokesperson, said he was unaware of dissatisfaction among NFL Network affiliates over the simulcast and if any were seeking a rebate or other form of compensation because the game was being more widely distributed. If that were the case, he said, those discussions would “take place privately with our TV partners.”[64]

Comcast

On November 10, 2006, Comcast announced it would add NFL Network on its digital tier in time for the debut of Thursday Night Football.[65] On August 6, 2007, Comcast moved NFL Network from the digital tiers to the Sports Entertainment Package. This led to a court battle between NFL Network and Comcast, with the ruling in favor of Comcast; the NFL Network later appealed the ruling.[66] Comcast sent NFL Network a cease-and-desist letter to stop encouraging subscribers to drop their Comcast service.[67] Comcast's carriage agreement with the NFL Network ended in mid-2009.[68] On February 26, 2008, a New York appellate court reversed course on a May 2007 judgment that allowed Comcast to move the network from its second-most distributed tier to the company's sports tier. At that time, a court date had not been set. Four judges at the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, ruled the language "concerning additional programming package was ambiguous and that neither party has established that its interpretation of the relevant contracts is a matter of law."[69] Comcast's deal with the NFL Network was set to expire on April 30, 2009.[70] According to messages sent out to Comcast, Midco, and some Cable Systems customers with or without set-top boxes, NFL Network might be removed from some customers' channel lineups. The message said: "In spite of our efforts to continue carrying NFL Network/NFL Network HD, the NFL may terminate our rights. As a result these networks may be removed from lineups as soon as 5/1." On April 10, 2009, it was confirmed that Comcast would remove the channel on that date due to failing to reach a carriage agreement. However, on April 30, 2009, NFL Network announced that it would continue to be carried on Comcast in the interim while both sides tried to reach an agreemenet on a new contract.[71] On July 30, 2009, NFL Network was made available to lower-tiered Comcast digital cable subscribers.

NFL Network later filed a discrimination case against Comcast with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), claiming that since Comcast does not charge an extra fee for the sports channels it owns, Versus and Golf Channel, it considered Comcast's move to charge extra for NFL Network unfair. On October 10, 2008, the FCC ruled as follows: "In the Second Report and Order, the Commission emphasized that the statute “does not explicitly prohibit multichannel distributors from acquiring a financial interest or exclusive rights that are otherwise permissible,” and thus, that “multichannel distributors [may] negotiate for, but not insist upon such benefits in exchange for carriage on their systems.” The Commission stated, however, that “ultimatums, intimidation, conduct that amounts to exertion of pressure beyond good faith negotiations, or behavior that is tantamount to an unreasonable refusal to deal with a vendor who refuses to grant financial interests or exclusivity rights for carriage, should be considered examples of behavior that violates the prohibitions set forth in Section 616.” We find that the NFL has presented sufficient evidence to make a prima facie showing that Comcast indirectly and improperly demanded a financial interest in the NFL’s programming in exchange for carriage. We further find that the pleadings and documentation present several factual disputes as to whether Comcast’s retiring of the NFL Network is the result of Comcast’s failure to obtain a financial interest in the NFL’s programming. Accordingly, we direct an Administrative Law Judge to hold a hearing, issue a recommended decision on the facts underlying the financial interest claim and a recommended remedy, if necessary, and then return the matter to the Commission within 60 days.[72][73]"

Comcast trial

The trial before an administrative law judge (as ordered above) began on April 14, 2009.[74] On April 17, 2009, Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts testified that the provider was willing to move the channel from the Sports Entertainment Package to a lower-priced base package if the subscriber fee was reduced to 25¢ per month (at that time, NFL Network was charging 75¢ per month). He claimed that overall, Comcast saved $50 million a year in license fees by leaving the channel on its Sports Package, which in turn led to savings for its customers.[75]

On April 30, 2009, NFL Network Total Access correspondent Lindsey Soto reported Comcast would continue to carry the network after its contract expired at midnight as negotiations proceeded. On May 19, 2009, the NFL and Comcast reached a ten-year agreement to place NFL Network on Comcast's Digital Classic package by August 1, 2009, for a monthly price between 45 and 50¢, instead of the 70¢ fee that the NFL originally requested.[76] This deal led to speculation that other cable operators would end their holdouts and try to reach deals that would bring the network to a wider audience.

As of 3 January 2011, the NFL Network was available only on the Digital Preferred or Sports package on Comcast's Xfinity system in Atlanta, Georgia, and not on a Digital Classic package (which does not exist). This is contrary to the above-mentioned agreement between Comcast and the NFL.

Time Warner Cable

NFL Network was added to Time Warner Cable systems in western New York and the Mohawk Valley in 2005 following the company's acquisition of Adelphia Communications' assets, replacing Adelphia's regional sports network, Empire. It was NFL Network's first substantial clearance on an analog cable system.[77]

On December 20, 2007, the NFL Network proposed to Time Warner Cable to enter into binding arbitration, which would have a neutral third party determine the price and tier for NFL Network on the provider's systems, based on fair market value of the service. The NFL Network noted that the process could take some time and offered to make the December 29, 2007 game between the then unbeaten New England Patriots and New York Giants immediately available to Time Warner Cable subscribers, upon “written agreement to participate in the arbitration process and to be bound by its result.” The network was willing to make the binding arbitration available to cable providers not carrying the NFL Network and for an extension of Comcast's current contract.[78]

Time Warner Cable denied the binding arbitration proposal, saying "the operator has successfully reached agreements with hundreds of programming networks without the use of arbitration. We continue to believe that the best way to achieve results is to privately seek a resolution and not attempt to negotiate through the press or elected officials.” TWC stated that it would be willing to make the network available on its sports tier, as a premium service, or make the game available to its subscribers on a per-game basis, at a retail price set by the NFL, with 100% of attendant revenue going to the league.[79] The network refused and stated: "In addition to more cable providers, NFL asked TWC to put NFL Network. The network said that it will file a lawsuit with Comcast instead. But Bright House Networks and Time Warner Cable will carry the NFL Network instead."

On September 21, 2012, the Associated Press reported that Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks had reached an agreement to carry NFL Network.[80] Within hours, both NFL Network and NFL RedZone began to be carried on many Time Warner Cable systems in time for that week's games, with full distribution across the company's systems planned to be completed by September 27, in time for the next Thursday Night Football game.[81]

Dish Network

On February 20, 2008, Dish Network moved the NFL Network from its "America's Top 100" package to the "America's Top 200" package. Dish Network notified customers that the NFL Network was "moving out of Free Preview into America's Top 200 package" on February 20, 2008. The move cost NFL Network four million subscribers.[86] On February 27, 2008, the NFL Network announced it would file suit against Dish Network for moving the network to "America's Top 200". The move stemmed from the NFL Network's decision to simulcast the 2007 New England Patriots-New York Giants game on CBS and NBC, in addition to the game being shown on the NFL Network.[87] As of 3 March 2008, the NFL no longer encouraged customers to switch to Dish Network on the IWantMyNFL.com website; instead, the network only encouraged customers to switch to DirecTV, Verizon FiOS or AT&T U-verse if their provider does not carry the network or has placed the network on a higher-priced tier.

On January 15, 2009, New York State Supreme Court Judge Rich Lowe ruled in favor of NFL Network, claiming their 2006 agreement for carriage on America's Top 100 package was still valid and Dish Network violated it by moving it to the America's Top 200 package, but he did not order Dish Network to move the channel to the lower package immediately.[88]

On April 10, 2009, it was announced that NFL Network and Dish Network had reached an out-of-court settlement to place the channel on the "Classic Silver 200" package.[89]

On June 16, 2016, Dish entered a new dispute with the NFL Network when the contract to carry the network expired at 7 PM ET, which resulted in the removal of the NFL Network and NFL Red Zone from the Dish Lineup, which marked the first time in the history of the NFL Network that a carriage agreement contract to carry the NFL Network expired and a new agreement was not reached before the deadline in which resulted in the temporary removal of the network from a cable/satellite provider.[90][91] As part of the new carriage agreement, Dish subsidiary Sling TV added both networks to its lineup on August 11, 2016, in time for the start of the 2016 NFL preseason schedule.[92]

History

Programming

NFL game telecasts

High definition

NFL RedZone channel

International distribution

Canada

United Kingdom

Carriage and distribution complications

2006 free preview

Carriage disputes

Cablevision

See also

External links

References

Transition to ESPN

Preseason coverage

Preseason coverage

Studio shows

Other football

Arena Football League

College football

High school football

Canadian Football League

Alliance of American Football

United Football League

Arena Football League

College football

High school football

Canadian Football League

Alliance of American Football

United Football League

Germany

Brazil

2007 Packers vs. Cowboys controversy

2007 Patriots vs. Giants controversy

Comcast

Comcast trial

Comcast trial

Time Warner Cable

Cogeco

Insight Communications

Dish Network

Charter Communications

Suddenlink

AT&T U-verse