The NFL is changing channels. From the 2023/2024 season, American Football will be broadcast exclusively on RTL. Around 80 live broadcasts are planned for each season.
The NFL gets a new home on German television. From the 2023/2024 season, RTL and Nitro will be the exclusive free TV partners of the North American professional league, which has rapidly gained in popularity in Germany in recent years. After soccer, American football is the most popular sport among 14 to 49-year-olds in Germany. Whether Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson – the superstars of the National Football League can be seen exclusively on the channels of the Cologne broadcaster.
As part of the deal, which runs for five seasons, up to three games a week will be shown live on the two broadcasters. In addition, one game per week can be seen exclusively on the streaming platform RTL+. “With the acquisition of the NFL rights, we are strengthening our programs over many years, this applies to RTL as well as to Nitro and our rapidly growing streaming offer RTL+. This investment underlines our claim to be the leading broadcasting group in the advertising-relevant target group in Germany in the future to stay,” says Henning Tewes, Managing Director of RTL Television and Chief Content Officer of RTL Germany. “We’re excited for German NFL fans that starting in the 2023/2024 season, NFL content will be available on more platforms than ever before via RTL. With RTL, we have a new partner dedicated to the development of football in the German-speaking dedicated to space while taking a cross-platform approach that encompasses free TV, streaming, digital content and audio coverage,” said Sameer Pabari, managing director, international media at the NFL.
NFL: RTL broadcasts from the draft to the Super Bowl
In addition to the main round, playoffs and the Super Bowl, the program will also include the “Germany Game”. The NFL announced last winter that it would play one game per season in Germany for the next four years. This year starts with the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Munich. From next year, the guest appearance in Germany will also be shown on RTL, after which the game will take place in Frankfurt. “We are very pleased to be the new home of the NFL – on free TV, on RTL+ and on many other of our offers. All fans can look forward to first-class reporting, with the best football experts both behind and in front of the Camera,” explains Stephan Schmitter, Managing Director of RTL News and Chief Journalistic Content Officer of RTL Germany. The agreement also includes the transmission of the NFL Draft, in which the top talents are selected from the 32 teams each year, as well as those beginning in August Preseason included.
In addition to broadcasting the games, RTL is also planning extensive highlight and general coverage across all platforms. Other content offerings such as special NFL formats for children are also planned. “The planned formats for children on Super RTL and new news formats will further strengthen football on the German market,” says Alexander Steinforth, General Manager NFL Germany. The goal of making more football available flexibly and innovatively has been set in motion with the new partnership.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
