NFL exec believes streaming games help build newer platforms

Following the NFL’s controversial Peacock-exclusive Playoff game between the Chiefs and Dolphins in the Wild Card round, the league isn’t backing away from doing something similar next season.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, NFL Media EVP and COO Hans Schroeder said the league was “thrilled” with the game.

“We were thrilled,” says Hans Schroeder, the executive VP and COO of NFL Media, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s pretty remarkable that the first time we put a wild card game on Peacock it beats the same time slot, same broadcast partner the year before. That’s awesome, and I mean its a testament to how fans are changing and watching. It’s a testament to what Comcast did to really build awareness there.”

Schroeder went on to say that while the NFL still believes broadcast media offers “the biggest and widest platform,” the league can use those broadcast networks “to build some of the newer platforms,” referring to Peacock (among other platforms).

“We still believe broadcast is the biggest and widest platform. And so these are perfect opportunities to still leverage that and have the widest reach that we can, but use that in a way to build some of the newer platforms, in this case Peacock,” Schroeder says, adding that the league will look for similar opportunities in coming years. “The good thing about the rapid sort of rate of change in the media landscape overall is it’s creating more choice and more opportunities, and we’re going to continue to be selective. We like to really make sure we’ve done our work upfront so that any new thing we’re going to do, we give ourselves the best possible chance of success. And I think that’s what we’ll continue to do and push our partners to figure out where they see opportunities, and on this end continue to explore the ones that we see as well, in a way that hopefully is all additive.”

In news that will sorely disappoint many fans, Schroeder didn’t rule out more digital exclusive games, but said the NFL also wouldn’t “do something revolutionary” with game broadcasts.

“Some may mean just doing digital exclusive games where we can, but you know, overall, I just keep in mind this is a very modest percent of our overall game inventory,” he adds. “The vast, vast majority — I think almost 90 percent of our games this year — were available nationally on broadcast television. So you know I don’t think you’ll see us do something revolutionary, I think this will just be the natural continued evolution of making sure our games given the screens and the places and the platforms.”

While this mindset and strategy might upset some fans, it’s probably a smart move from the NFL. The league doesn’t want to be caught flat-footed as media consumption and trends change (like we’re seeing with MLB, NBA, and NHL stuck with their collapsing regional sports network model), and dipping its toe into the water with new and different media is sensible, no matter how many fans froth at the mouth over a change for one game.

[THR]