Report: YouTube Grabbing 5-Game NFL Package

Having already gobbled up future rights to broadcast the Oscars, YouTube is making even bigger waves with TV’s 800-pound gorilla. According to Front Office Sports, YouTube is in the final stages of negotiation to gain exclusive rights to 5 NFL games.

The rights to those games were freed up when ESPN acquired the NFL Network. ESPN got the rights to all the games that were previously NFL Network exclusives, while giving up the much-loathed doubleheaders on Monday Night Football.

Specifics of the deal haven’t been announced. FOS reports the deal isn’t finalized, but the NFL and YouTube are in long-form contract review, which usually signifies the final step.

Last year, YouTube was the exclusive home to a Week 1 Chargers-Chiefs game in Brazil.

Football has become the most coveted property in live television. People watch the games live, which means they don’t skip commercials.

In 2025, football games (college and pro) accounted for 92 of the 100 most-watched live broadcasts. The ’25 season averaged 18.7 million viewers. That was up 10 percent from 2024 and the second-highest viewership on record.

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