The National Football League may be changing the way Thursday night football is broadcast on television.
The sports league is reportedly trying to add more networks to show Thursday night football, according to the Wall Street Journal. The deal could be determined in the next few weeks.
Currently, the NFL games on Thursday nights are shown by CBS and the NFL Network. But if the NFL’s proposed plan goes into effect, there would be additional networks airing the games beginning next season, the publication reported, citing executives who saw the proposal.
This season, CBS aired half of the 16 Thursday games, which are also broadcast by the NFL Network. The new proposal, however, may mean that the eight games CBS currently airs could be split between two or three other networks. This would allow the NFL to increase costs for the package above the reported $300 million CBS paid for its current deal, according to the Journal.
CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus said at a Television Critics Association press conference on Tuesday that he wanted to keep the current deal. Meanwhile, the NFL will still broadcast all the Thursday night games no matter what deal is ultimately struck with CBS and other possible networks.
News of the potential deal comes as the NFL’s St. Louis Rams franchise was approved by the league to move to Los Angeles on Tuesday. The San Diego Chargers, another franchise, may join the team in moving as well.
The NFL declined to comment.
