The NFL just announced a new deal with Peacock that gives the NBCUniversal-owned streaming service national rights to broadcast one wild-card playoff game next season. Described as “the first-ever exclusive live NFL Playoff game,” it will feature two teams facing off in primetime on Jan. 13, 2024. The deal was first reported by The Wall Street Journalwhich cites sources as saying the deal for that game is worth around $110 million.
Of course, we don’t know which two teams will be playing, but for non-Peacock fans, your viewing options may depend on where you live. Along with a regular season game (Bills vs. Chargers on Dec. 23, or as you may know, the Burn It All game), which will also be exclusive to Peacock, the game will be broadcast in those teams’ home markets on NBC affiliate and on NFL Plus, the league’s subscription streaming platform built for phones and tablets, but not TVs.
The exclusive Peacock Wild Card game and regular season game will air on NBC stations in the two competing team cities and will be available on mobile devices with NFL+. The NFL is the only sports league that carries all regular season and postseason games on free-to-air television in local markets.
According to WSJwhen the league struck new broadcast deals in 2021, it retained the rights to one playoff game per season, and that deal with NBCUniversal is only for the 2023 postseason. NFL Media executive Hans Schroeder said at the outlet that it is “likely ” in the coming years, the game will continue to be streamed only, which could attract offers to put it on platforms including again Viacom Paramount Plus-owned Peacock, Disney’s ESPN Plus streaming, or Fox’s Tubi.
Disclosure: Comcast, which owns NBCUniversal, is also an investor in Vox Media, On the edgethe parent company of