The Canadian Football League (CFL) could get a much-needed jolt of life with its new media deal.
What happened: The CFL inked its largest broadcast deal ever, extending its partnership with Bell Media for another six years while adding streaming partners in DAZN and YouTube. A source told The Canadian Press the collection of pacts is worth around $500 million.
Bell-owned TSN will air most regular season games, but DAZN will carry Saturday Night Football games and be the global broadcaster outside Canada and the U.S. Meanwhile, YouTube will air some preseason games and an unscripted CFL series.
While $500 million is small compared to, say, the NFL (whose U.S. media deal earns ~US$10 billion a year), it’s a big leap from past agreements. The rumoured value of the last Canadian rights deal was $50 million annually over six years, or $300 million.
Zoom out: This ambitious new rights deal is part of a broader growth agenda for the CFL after years of dwindling interest. Starting this upcoming season, the league is modifying rules to make the games more fast-paced and exciting. It also wants to add a new team by 2030.
Adding another team would also mean more games, which could lead to a reformulation of the rights deal that brings in even more revenue.
Why it matters: There is insatiable demand for live sports content right now that the CFL has been able to get a piece of. If it can capitalize on this deal and grow the fanbase, this uniquely Canadian sports institution could be revitalized.—QH
