NFL touches down on ITV in three-year deal

UK pubcaster ITV has scored free-to-air rights to the National Football League (NFL).

The three-year-deal will see ITV replace the BBC as the NFL’s secondary rights holder in the UK and Ireland, ending the BBC’s seven-year relationship with the competition. Sky continues to serve as the primary rights holder of the NFL in the UK.

Coverage will commence on Friday September 9, with the first in a series of hour-long weekly shows, airing at 11.30pm on ITV. Through the season, ITV will broadcast two of the NFL’s three London Games on October 9 and October 30, while also airing Super Bowl LVII, live from Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday February 12.

ITV’s NFL programming will also be broadcast on STV in Scotland and Virgin Media in Ireland, while all programming will be available on demand on ITV Hub, ITV Hub+, STV Player and VM Player.

Coverage will be presented by Sports Presenter of the Year Laura Woods, award-winning analyst Osi Umenyiora, and two-time Super Bowl winner, and Jason Bell.

Niall Sloane, ITV Director of Sport, said: “This deal will bring to ITV viewers the very best of the NFL each week in our highlights shows throughout the season as well as key live games.  We’re delighted to be able to offer viewers, free to air, across our channels as well as the ITV Hub, the unique spectacle and action the NFL brings.”

Henry Hodgson, Managing Director, NFL UK, said: “This is another significant milestone for the NFL in this country. We have enjoyed seven fantastic years of NFL coverage on BBC TV and the time is right to take advantage of the opportunities offered by a new partnership with ITV. When you look at the development of the NFL in the UK in recent years – with momentum behind fan growth, more London games, successful British players in the NFL, the launch of an Academy and a charitable foundation – this announcement is another sign of our ambition to grow and develop the sport in the UK.”