Earlier this week, ESPN made it official that it would carry one NFL Wild Card Playoff game beginning with the 2014-15 season. For those who follow the industry and ESPN in particular, it was not a surprise. Of all of the NFL’s TV partners, ESPN pays the most in rights fees for Monday Night Football, over $1 billion annually for the TV contract that expired and reportedly $1.9 billion per year for the new contract beginning this season. It seemed natural that ESPN would enter the NFL postseason business sooner rather than later.

To air the one Wild Card game per season beginning in January 2015 through January 2022, ESPN shelled out another $100 million making its total rights fee $2 billion per year. It marks a long journey for ESPN, one that began in 1987 when it picked up the rights to eight late season Sunday night games and one that has culminated in a Wild Card playoff beginning this season.

But how does this compare to other big football games? ESPN paid $125 annually for the now defunct BCS Championship which consisted of four games.

For the College Football Playoff, ESPN is paying $470 million per year plus another $215 million for the Rose, Champions and Sugar Bowls.

You can see where the NFL stands. It can command a $100 million per year pricetag because the viewership for its games is tops among sports. The least viewed Wild Card game back in January commanded 27.6 million people and that would top the biggest audience in cable television history which was the 2011 BCS Championship on ESPN which garnered 27.3 million viewers.

With ESPN firmly entrenched in the NFL Playoffs for the next eight seasons, one wonders how much it would have to pay to get into the Super Bowl rotation. It all depends if ESPN can reach the viewership levels the broadcast networks have for the playoffs. If ESPN can achieve the same viewership or come close, perhaps a Super Bowl could be the next feather in Bristol’s cap.

[Sports Business Journal]

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.

He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.

Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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