This year, Chuck Todd became the latest prominent political pundit to leave traditional television for independence, launching The Chuck Toddcast on YouTube. He’s not just making a statement; in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Todd expressed concerns that 2029 could spell doom for broadcast television, particularly at the local level. He anticipates that year the NFL might opt out of its media rights deal, which he believes could “break” the business model of CBS or Fox.
“The NFL may announce that they’re going to opt out of their media deals in 2029,” Todd explained. “I think this is going to break one or more of the traditional networks. I expect Comcast to pony up whatever it takes to keep Sunday Night Football, and they have the resources to do it. Disney will likely match that, but Fox and CBS may struggle to keep pace. Instead of scrambling to increase their bids by billions, they might have to partner with a digital media company to sublicense certain games for broadcast. Reports this week indicated YouTube was interested in securing a national NFL game as soon as the 2025 season.”
“This could be the thing that breaks the affiliate networks all over the country,” Todd added, suggesting a potential explosion of YouTube alongside a new consolidation in media.
Others, including Puck’s John Ourand, have already raised alarms about the existential threat posed by the next NFL broadcast deal to the national CBS and Fox networks. Todd goes further, noting how local TV news hangs in the balance with the upcoming NFL negotiations. With nearly 500 local affiliate stations across the U.S., the potential loss of NFL games each Sunday could lead to significant declines in viewership and revenue for these networks. This shift could further exacerbate the deterioration of local news, both in print and on television.
If Todd is correct, the NFL holds all the power in this situation. Live football rights represent arguably the most valuable content in media, and lacking them could indeed make or break a company.
