NFL Season Starts on a Wednesday for the First Time Since 2012 with Seattle Seahawks Defending Their Title
The upcoming NFL season will commence on a Wednesday night for the first time since 2012, as the Seattle Seahawks kick off their Super Bowl title defense on September 9. The Seahawks’ opponent will be announced at a later date, with the game set to air on NBC and stream on Peacock. This scheduling change follows the 2012 season, when the league opted for a Wednesday opener to avoid conflicting with President Obama’s acceptance speech during the Democratic National Convention.
Last month, the Seahawks secured their second Super Bowl championship by defeating the New England Patriots.
The transition to a Wednesday opener stems from federal regulations that prevent the NFL from holding games on Fridays or Saturdays between early September and mid-December. This ruling aims to prevent clashes with high school and college football games.
The NFL’s decision to start the season a day earlier is influenced by its initiative to promote international games. This year, the league has scheduled an International Series game on Thursday, September 10, in Melbourne, Australia, featuring the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams. The broadcasting details for this game have yet to be disclosed. Last year, YouTube made headlines by livestreaming an NFL game from Brazil, attracting 17.3 million global viewers, including 1.1 million international viewers.
The rights to the Australia game are expected to be bundled with several other international matchups. As the NFL intensifies its focus on expanding its global fan base, speculation arises that one of this season’s International Series games may be scheduled during the traditional Sunday afternoon timeslot controlled by CBS and Fox.
Amidst these developments, negotiations regarding the NFL’s overall media rights packages are intensifying. The league is exercising its option to renegotiate existing contracts following the change of control at Paramount due to the merger with Skydance. Although these contracts extend to 2032, the renegotiation clause was activated by the merger.
Initial reports suggest that discussions are in the early stages, with the NFL reportedly seeking an additional $1 billion annually, a figure that could present challenges for traditional media companies. While CBS, NBC, Fox, Disney, and other rights holders have the option to decline contract renewals, they may face even higher costs when the negotiation window reopens in the coming years.
