Negotiations between the NFL and CBS are reportedly intensifying as the league and Paramount Global explore a revised agreement. A new deal would extend the network’s long-standing Sunday afternoon broadcast package while dramatically increasing its annual rights fee.
According to CNBC’s Alex Sherman, discussions between league officials and executives from CBS and its parent company are centering on a potential price increase that could raise the network’s yearly payment by roughly 50–60 percent.
The current agreement averages about $2.1 billion per year for the Sunday afternoon slate of games. That means a revised deal could push CBS’s annual commitment past $3 billion if negotiations reach the midpoint of those projections.
In exchange for the increased revenue, the NFL would reportedly remove the opt-out clause in the existing contract. The clause allows the league to exit the deal after the 2029–30 season. It was included when the NFL finalized its current 11-year media rights agreements in 2021. Those agreements run through the conclusion of the 2033–34 campaign.
If the sides reach an agreement, CBS would begin paying the higher rights fee next season. The network would continue carrying the same Sunday afternoon package. That arrangement would remain in place for the contract’s remaining eight years.
The NFL’s decision to begin negotiations with CBS ahead of its other broadcast partners stems largely from a change-of-control provision tied to Skydance Media’s pending acquisition of Paramount Global. Because of that clause, the league holds the ability to exit the current deal as early as 2027 if ownership changes significantly alter the company’s structure.
For Paramount and Skydance, maintaining the NFL partnership remains a central priority. The companies are positioning themselves for the future of live sports distribution. Paramount CEO David Ellison recently emphasized the value of the league relationship. He declined to discuss specifics of the ongoing negotiations.
CBS is not the only media partner with an opt-out provision tied to the 2029–30 season. NBCUniversal, Amazon Prime Video and FOX Sports all share similar clauses within their agreements. Disney’s ESPN and ABC meanwhile have packages that run through the 2031 season before any early exit options apply.
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