# The National Football League announces NFL Now, a new (and free) digital network launching in July



## Athlon646464 (Feb 23, 2007)

*The National Football League announces NFL Now, a new (and free) digital network launching in July*

Super Bowl XLVIII is just around the corner, and the NFL's taking advantage of the week leading up to it by using it as a platform to reveal its next venture: NFL Now. Today, at a press event in New York City, the National Football League introduced a newly created digital network, dubbed NFL Now, which it says will focus on delivering a "personalized stream of content" to fans of the sport worldwide. While the online service won't be streaming football games live -- not at the time of launch, at least -- it will have full on-demand clashes to offer, as well as highlights and other content produced by teams across the league.

Full Story Here









_Engadget_


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

Interesting article but it doesn't mention the subscription fee for the Now Plus version.


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## Bambler (May 31, 2006)

Smart move. I hope this is just a precursor of what is to come. 

I know the NFL sells streaming rights separately from broadcasting rights, so I wonder if the NFL is preparing to cut out the middleman and reserve that capability for themselves. Or at the very least, explore third party options like Google or AppleTV. But again, doing it themselves makes more sense, in that they could open it up to Youtube and AppleTV, without the constraints of exclusivity, potentially reaping a larger customer base than selling those rights to just one provider. 

I know the broadcasters would cry, but the NFL has more leverage than anything else out there by a gigantic margin, and those broadcasters will still pay, while the NFL reaps more.


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

Funny how I see no Mention of Directv.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

damondlt said:


> Funny how I see no Mention of Directv.


Why would it? It's a separate service from traditional tv without live games for now.


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## Bambler (May 31, 2006)

Another thing that this would address (regarding self-streaming of various NFL games, notably "Sunday Ticket"), if it indeed comes to fruition, is that there are a lot of customers out there that cannot or will not subscribe to DirecTV.

Whether it is physically impossible or whether they are chained to bundled carriers (because their wives demand it...), the amount of non-satellite customers out there is huge. Tapping this market would be a coup for the NFL and one way to do this would be to stream it themselves. 

Another benefit involves demographics. While I like to think of myself as technically savvy and open to new sources of media, kids these days have an entirely different perspective when it comes to media absorption. Anyone with kids knows this. They don't like the constraints of standard carriers and enjoy the freedom a medium such as the internet and streaming provides. We're not tomorrow's audience; they are.


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

sigma1914 said:


> Why would it? It's a separate service from traditional tv without live games for now.


Why wouldn't it? Since this would mean all the games including out of market. 
Yeah not live games now, but I bet 2015 season will once Directvs exclusive package deal is finished.

Sent from my PantechP8010 using DBSTalk mobile app


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

damondlt said:


> Why wouldn't it? Since this would mean all the games including out of market.
> Yeah not live games now, but I bet 2015 season will once Directvs exclusive package deal is finished.
> 
> Sent from my PantechP8010 using DBSTalk mobile app


It wouldn't because they're not at all the same. If 2015 had live games, they'd say it... If it does, I bet the cost will still be $200+.


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

Guess we'll see. 

Sent from my PantechP8010 using DBSTalk mobile app


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

sigma1914 said:


> It wouldn't because they're not at all the same. If 2015 had live games, they'd say it... If it does, I bet the cost will still be $200+.


Even if does cost $200 it won't be limited to only 20 Million viewers.
People don't have to change to providers they don't want to get it.

Also they said future live games. 2015 season is in the future!

_While the online service won't be streaming football games live --* not at the time of launch, at least --* _

""The reason , I'm sure is Directv Exclusive 2014 rights since July of 2014 is when this is set to Launch""

_it will have full on-demand clashes to offer, as well as highlights and other content produced by teams across the league. _
_In addition to all of this, there's also going to be an abundance of extra video from across other NFL properties, including NFL.com, NFL Network and NFL Films. _
*And, better yet, it will be free.*

_*For the hardcore NFL enthusiasts, there will be Now Plus, a subscription-based account that's going to provide access to "premium video content and features." Naturally, you'll have to pay a monthly fee -- no word yet on how much the cost of that will be.*_

Did you read any of this, or do you just automatically jump on the Directv defense wagon?


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

I read it... games aren't live, yet, just as I said. It's not defending DirecTV, it's defending logic... the products aren't the same.

Yes, it might impact ST. However, there's still no point the article should've mentioned DirecTV because as of now, it's irrelevant and not similar to ST.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Bambler said:


> Smart move. I hope this is just a precursor of what is to come.
> 
> I know the NFL sells streaming rights separately from broadcasting rights, so I wonder if the NFL is preparing to cut out the middleman and reserve that capability for themselves. Or at the very least, explore third party options like Google or AppleTV. But again, doing it themselves makes more sense, in that they could open it up to Youtube and AppleTV, without the constraints of exclusivity, potentially reaping a larger customer base than selling those rights to just one provider.
> 
> I know the broadcasters would cry, but the NFL has more leverage than anything else out there by a gigantic margin, and those broadcasters will still pay, while the NFL reaps more.


NFL does not want st available to everyone super cheap. I doubt you'll ever see games on this platform in the next ten years unless it's included and or sold by whoever has the st package in the first place.


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## Art7220 (Feb 4, 2004)

Notice how NFL came up with this after WWE Network announced their launch? Hmm...

They could have at least announced they would have archives of games like past Super Bowls or Pre and Aftershows.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Oh come now, there's no way they did not have this in the works ages ago. Probably first started considering it before WWE even did, as they where more looking at a linear channel for a long time but couldn't find anyone who'd pick up that channel for the price they wanted so they shifted gears.

And this really sounds moire to me like a ESPN / News & ESPN Classic rolled into one but for the nfl only.....

WWE is is that as well as the main delivery method for their new shows.


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## cfkane (Mar 14, 2010)

Art7220 said:


> Notice how NFL came up with this after WWE Network announced their launch? Hmm...
> 
> They could have at least announced they would have archives of games like past Super Bowls or Pre and Aftershows.


I would love it if you could watch past Super Bowls. Would love to see a decent copy of SB XI, the first Raiders victory.


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## sum_random_dork (Aug 21, 2008)

Interesting that they are announcing this now, last fall when The NFL announced the big deal with Microsoft/XBoxOne, it was made to seem you could stream NFL Network programming via your XB1. Well that wasn't exactly true, you had to authenticate the service, very few providers were listed and the only big name one was Dish Network. The NFL did a soft launch last fall of their app that let you watch NFL Netowork and NFL Redzone via your phone/tablet and later XB1. It will be interesting to see how this new NFL Now works and how it integrates into various platforms notably XB1. I signed up and figured I'd give it a shot, not sure I'd pay a monthly fee though to use it.


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## Bambler (May 31, 2006)

I read a USA Today article a few days ago about the NFL's plan to increase revenue to $25 billion by 2027, up from $10 billion now. 

The article went into detail about where that $10 billion comes from:

1. $5 billion: media and television rights
2. $1-$2 billion in sponsorships
3. $2 billion in attendance and ticket sales
4. $1 billion in merchandising and licensing

To reach their goal means everything will have to go up 7% per year, give or take, compounded (roughly $1 billion per year). OR, the NFL will have to find new revenue streams. If ticket prices were to stay flat or another sector where to remain neutral, that means the others will have to gain an even larger share, or increase at a larger percentage. 

One of them is already in the making: Thursday night package, which is receiving heavy interest, or so I hear. 

The other is expanding into the digital realm or "over the top" services. But this will only work if live games could be streamed. Sunday Ticket is the only thing their library that could reasonably be offered to help them reach their goal. 

Imagine the potential audience of everyone with an Internet connection. Huge and would definitely help them reach their goal. Even if offering it to every online person in America pisses off the broadcasters, who cares? They'll still pay and people will still watch both.


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