Why The NFL Holds The Keys To The Future Of American Media

As we approach Super Bowl Sunday, the traditional television model is hitting an inflection point and the NFL is at the very center of it.

8 out of the 10 most watched television programs during 2018 were live NFL games. In fact, the NFL maintains the right to walk away from a longstanding broadcast deal with DirecTV (AT&T) starting in the 2020 season. The end of this agreement will likely mark the beginning of a new era in NFL broadcasting and as a byproduct likely television in as a whole.

Deep-pocketed players including Amazon (Prime Vide0), Apple (iTunes), Microsoft (X-Box), Google (YouTube) and Netflix all have the infrastructure and monetization model to begin to shift the NFL to a streaming model. New NFL streaming deals on a widespread basis will not only change the way we watch the game but quickly usher in the new addressable model of television.

At that point, women (who also rank the NFL as the #1 most-watched show) will see ads targeted towards them, (not just ads for Ford trucks and Bud light) and advertisers will no longer be held hostage to monolithic cookie-cutter demographics.

The NFL truly holds the keys to the future of American media. Enjoy the game!