The NFL has reached a deal to share Thursday Night Football broadcasts between CBS and NBC, the league announced Monday.
Under the new deal, CBS and NBC will air five Thursday night games apiece in 2016-2017.
CBS has aired eight Thursday night games a year for the last two years. NFL Network has simulcast those games and had exclusive rights to the others. Under the new deal, NFL Network will have an exclusive eight-game package that includes Thursday night games and late-season Saturday night games in addition to continuing to simulcast the CBS and NBC games.
“We are continuing to make Thursday Night Football bigger and better,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “CBS has played an integral role over the last two seasons in helping build Thursdays as a night for NFL football, and we’re excited to have them on board again.
“At the same time, we’re thrilled to add NBC to the Thursday Night Football mix, a trusted partner with a proven track record of success broadcasting NFL football in primetime, and look forward to expanding with a digital partner for what will be a unique tri-cast on broadcast, cable, and digital platforms.”
CNBC tweeted that the deal is worth $450 million. A Bloomberg report said CBS paid about $300 million for the eight games it showed in 2014-15.