More than 20 years ago, the NFL Network was launched with high expectations, but never fully lived up to its potential. Despite this, the operation has managed to survive for two decades. However, in a time when the NFL is more profitable and valuable than ever, the league seems to be devaluing its own broadcast operation.
Industry insiders believe that recent decisions, such as moving Good Morning Football from New York to L.A. and the cancellation of Total Access, may be an attempt to cut expenses before potentially selling the operation to ESPN. However, according to Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, the reasons may be more straightforward – the costs are high and the revenues are not as expected.
This change in approach is significant because for many years the league saw the benefit of having its own platform for publicity and messaging, despite the costs involved. Now, it seems that the league no longer values the studio shows and on-air talent that communicate its messaging. Without new, engaging content about the NFL, the relevance of NFL Network is diminishing.
In today’s media landscape, where content is readily available at all times
