The NFL have agreed a 10-year deal with DAZN to broadcast football internationally to fans across the globe, starting from the 2023 season.
Until now, NFL fans in the UK have tuned in via Sky Sports or through the league's international game pass subscription, with ITV recently securing rights too. The international announcement by DAZN and the NFL has confused some UK-based fans about what it means for their current subscriptions, but those will still continue.
The new announcement offers those that already pay for DAZN the chance to add all NFL games to their package internationally at an additional cost, and it will also include the increasingly popular RedZone broadcast on Sunday nights. However, Sky Sports and ITV still hold their rights to broadcast the NFL in the UK until 2025, meaning their coverage won't be changing anytime soon.
DAZN has held NFL rights over in Canada for a number of years, offering a seamless online viewing experience which is more accessible and on-demand. But now DAZN and the NFL have partnered to offer this experience globally, altering how the international game pass is consumed.
For international viewers, the game pass will now be available as part of the DAZN package at an additional cost, or it can be purchased through the app as a standalone subscription. The service offers access to all NFL matches including the Super Bowl, with no interruptions while games are in play, and also extra NFL media such as documentaries and films
Sky Sports will continue to exclusively cover the biggest games in the UK after they agreed a partnership with the NFL back in 2020. Their five-year deal saw the birth of the channel Sky Sports NFL, with RedZone available to watch on Sky Sports Mix during football Sunday.
ITV will also continue their coverage until 2025, after recently forming a broadcasting team led by Laura Woods, Jason Bell and Osi Umenyiora. The agreement between DAZN and the NFL offers fans a completely different type of viewing experience, as sport continues to benefit from transitioning into the streaming world.
"Growing the NFL globally is a key strategic priority for the League and our 32 Clubs. We are excited to partner with DAZN to help us accelerate this effort," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
"Our goal has always been to make our games available to as many fans as possible. "We are confident that DAZN's innovative viewing experience technology will best serve millions of viewers around the world while also engaging a new generation of international NFL fans."
"The NFL is the premier sports media property, and DAZN is incredibly excited that they have chosen us as their international partner," DAZN CEO Shay Segev said. "DAZN is the only company that is single-mindedly focused on delivering the very best digital experience for sports fans worldwide and I am confident that we will deliver a superb experience for NFL fans, while helping the league engage new markets and demographics in the sporting phenomenon that is NFL.
"We can't wait to bring all the drama, passion and excitement that the NFL is renowned for to our customers as we continue to build the ultimate global destination for sports fans."
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