Networks Fear NFL-Less fall
Original Article: AXIOS, by Mike Allen, July 8th, 2020
9. Networks fear NFL-Less fall
Inside an "NFL on Fox" production truck. Photo: Michael Abdella/Detroit Free Press via Reuters
While all major sports scramble to rescue their seasons, the networks are fixated on the NFL, which accounted for 41 of the 50 top-rated telecasts of any kind in 2019, the WashPost's Ben Strauss writes.
Why it matters: The NFL accounted for 39% of all ad revenue for Fox last year, 24% for CBS, 21% for NBC and 17% for ESPN (including ABC playoff simulcasts).
"It’s practically the only thing on the minds of the networks," John Kosner, a former ESPN executive who is an industry consultant, told the Post.
"If you lost an NFL season, you’re looking at a financial hemorrhage."
