Digital culture will shape the NFL this season and beyond
Years ago, NFL fans needed to tune in to the TV at the right time and stay glued to the screen to make sure they saw the big plays. Anyone who missed the game had to ask for details at the water cooler the next day or read about it in the paper.
This season, it’s still the same game, but it doesn’t look like it did in the past. Almost everything but the players and the ball are digital now. More than 40% of fans watch the game on streaming platforms. Nearly 8-in-10 fans play fantasy football, with apps, websites and online content competing with game viewing. Players such as Odell Beckham Jr., Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes, with large followings, have built media empires with podcasts and streaming shows.
And fans like it that way.
Digital culture is reshaping how the NFL produces, distributes and monetizes sports content, influencing the future of content overall. In this multiplatform ecosystem, media companies have more opportunities to engage fans and deliver value for sponsors.
Content and rights are king
Live sports are the crown jewel of most content lineups; they attract audiences who engage. The NFL is at the top of the live sports ladder, with the Super Bowl consistently ranking as the top-rated live broadcast of the year and midseason games garnering audiences in the tens of millions.
The NFL has expanded its content empire year over year to capitalize on its audience. Not only has the NFL increased the number of regular-season games from 16 to 17, it also has spread games to include Thursday nights and Saturdays, betting enough fans would watch beyond their favorite team.
At the same time, fans have more places to watch NFL games than ever. Streaming has played a role in breaking apart the traditional NFL broadcast schedule. The NFL has partnered with Netflix to stream Christmas Day games, marking a move into live sports streaming. The NFL also works with Amazon for “Thursday Night Football” and Peacock, while the NFL Network keeps broadcasting exclusive games, including international matchups.
As fans shift from linear TV to streaming, they’ll have to decide which services to subscribe to, to watch their team and other key games throughout the season and postseason. This can be costly. Given shifting audiences, rights and access are likely to evolve in the next few years.
Fans also have more content outside regular games. ESPN is expanding its NFL coverage on its direct-to-consumer service, like streaming NFL Draft coverage and offering NFL+ Premium bundles. Media companies also determine how to work with, not against, fantasy, betting and player content. NFL Fantasy Football’s app and website feature official NFL stats, highlights and Next Gen Stats, “capturing real time location data, speed and acceleration for every player, every play on every inch of the field.” The NFL also partners with DraftKings, FanDuel and Mythical Games to infuse experiences with official content.
Players themselves have support from the NFL as they build content platforms. The NFL produces more player-forward and behind-the-scenes content for social media and actively focuses on side stories that drive ratings. The league unofficially capitalized on Travis Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift, sharing content highlighting Swift’s presence at games, which created a surge in new viewership and merchandise sales.