- YouTube is reportedly the “heavy favorite” to stream its first exclusive NFL game.
- Streaming on the platform would allow the league to exploit a potential loophole in the Sports Broadcasting Act.
- This would be a Week 1 game featuring the Los Angeles Chargers and an as-yet-unannounced opponent.
Recently, the NFL has been stretching its legs and expanding out to partners outside of broadcast TV, like Amazon and Netflix. It looks like the league is not quite done, as it’s looking for another digital platform to place its games on. A new report now says the NFL is eyeing YouTube as a potential partner.
According to The Athletic, YouTube is the “heavy favorite to stream its first exclusive NFL game on Friday of the opening week.” This would be somewhat different from the agreements with Amazon and Netflix, as those platforms require a subscription and YouTube is free. As a result, this exclusive game would be available to watch for free globally. If you have YouTube TV, it appears you’ll be able to watch this game on that service as well.