The Athletic in Talks to Supply Content to NFL Digital Platforms

Overview

• Multiple outlets reported on Friday that NFL Media and The Athletic have discussed a commercial arrangement to place Athletic articles and video on NFL.com and the NFL+ app.
• Neither The Athletic nor NFL Media confirmed the discussions, so the terms, timeline and whether content would be paid-for or editorially controlled remain unknown.
• The talks build on a September agreement that let The Athletic use official NFL game footage and on existing syndication deals that already send Athletic stories to NBA.com and WNBA partners.
• The discussions come as the NFL, after selling the linear NFL Network to Disney earlier this year, has focused on beefing up its digital platforms and has rehired and added on-air and digital talent to populate those channels.
• Commentators flagged that a paid licensing deal between the New York Times–owned Athletic and the league could create actual or apparent conflicts of interest and could force trade-offs between wider free distribution and the site’s subscription business model.