Comcast cable customers lost access to NFL Network on Monday when the company pulled the channel after its carriage agreement expired.
Viewers will see this message on their screen if they enter the channel: “Our programming agreement with NFL Network has expired. As a result, this channel is currently unavailable through Xfinity and Comcast Business.”
NFL Network offers plenty of original programming, including the popular morning show “Good Morning Football.” And with the 2023 schedule expected to be announced May 11, it will air a schedule release show. Otherwise, if there’s a time of year not to have the channel, it would be now. The NFL Draft ended Saturday, and training camps open in July.
However, if the blackout lasts into the regular season, Comcast subscribers also wouldn’t have access to NFL Red Zone, which certainly would anger fans. That said, carriage disputes are common, and a resolution before then is likely. Comcast owns NBCUniversal, which has an 11-year agreement with the NFL to air “Sunday Night Football.”
Comcast is navigating turbulence in the cable industry. Last week, it said it lost more linear pay-TV customers in the first quarter (614,000) than in any previous quarter. That represented about 3.8% of its remaining 16.142 million Xfinity subscribers entering 2023. Last year, Comcast lost 2.034 million pay-TV customers, including 512,000 in Q1.
