David Zaslav’s Warner Bros. Discovery’s possible merger with Shari Redstone’s Paramount Global is a bid that could resurface WBD Sports into the NFL TV Business for the first time in 26 years.
The NFL on TNT?
The possible merger of Warner Bros. Discovery with Paramount could catapult Turner Sports into the NFL TV business for the first time in 26 years.https://t.co/Cetb1b8VgH pic.twitter.com/NFpGxOadWg
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) December 23, 2023
Turner Sports previously held the broadcast rights to the NFL between 1990 and 1997, sharing the Sunday Night Football package with ESPN.
With this merger, Zaslav could potentially resuscitate Turner Sports’ glory under the WBD banner.
CBS Sports and WBD Sports’ TBS, TNT, and TruTV have a history of collaboration, sharing TV rights for the annual March Madness men’s college basketball tournament.
WBD’s impeccable record in broadcasting some of the most-viewed games could work as a leverage in the merger deal.
If the merger is approved, CBS Sports, owned by Paramount, could combine with WBD Sports, embracing the old Turner Sports networks, TBS, and TNT.
The momentous move could thrust WBD back into the game with the NFL – the nation’s foremost sports league. From reliable sources, it emerged that WBD had been eager to reintegrate into the NFL media rotation.
David Zaslav, along with the former head of Turner Sports, David Levy, was instrumental in seeding these efforts. Now, as the merger attains feasibility, Zaslav’s clever foresight could materialize.
Zaslav and TNT are about to initiate decisive negotiations regarding the NBA broadcasting rights. His daring proclamation about not needing NBA surprised many.
A valid question arises: if Zaslav succeeds in procuring NFL rights, will he abandon the expensive NBA discussions?
For Amazon Prime Video, this could mean an open field to establish an NBA version of Thursday Night Football.
Every media network aspires to collaborate with the NFL, and WBD is no exception. History provides ample evidence that TV networks suffer significant blows after losing NFL rights.
CBS and NBC Sports stand as testaments to such unfortunate incidents. However, CBS has been foresighted enough to acquire NFL rights for the next decade.
A $2 billion investment ensures CBS the AFC package until 2033 along with the broadcast rights to Super Bowl LVIII. This further fuels Zaslav’s urge for the merger.
The preliminary talks offer no assurance. Yet, the lure of being associated with the NFL might make the proposition too enticing for Zaslav to neglect.
