The NFL and NBC are "holding early-stage talks about renewing 'Sunday Night Football,' a package that has been with NBC since 2006," according to Claire Atkinson of the N.Y. POST. While the current deal doesn’t expire until '13, sources said that NBC "wants to get a deal done early as it prepares to negotiate higher fees from cable and satellite operators for the right to retransmit its local stations." NBC also is interested in "wrapping up a deal to extend its contract before its exclusive negotiating period runs out next year." Sources added that NBC parent Comcast has an eye on "using football coverage to boost its Versus cable sports network, which is relaunching as NBC Sports in January." While it is unclear what Comcast will have to pay to renew football, "it’s clear which party has the leverage." A source said, "The only show NBC has in prime time is football; it’s the only thing that keeps them in the demos and the NFL totally knows it." NBC reportedly pays "around $600 million a year to carry NFL games." A new deal would "likely involve some digital rights so that Comcast/NBC can offer its customers the same content on mobile and online as it does on the TV screen" (N.Y. POST, 12/2).
