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he NFL expects to end Verizon’s exclusive rights to live games on mobile, a key NFL source said. The league last week presented to owners on the four-year, $1 billion Verizon deal, which ends after this season. Only customers of Verizon can stream games on their phones, which has become an irritant for entities like ESPN, which pay for rights to platforms like “Monday Night Football” but then cannot offer it on mobile. Making the games available on as many platforms as possible is the goal, the NFL source said. Verizon could retain its sponsorship and rights to stream games, but it appears other mobile companies would get the opportunity to air the streams too.
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The draft’s draw in Philly changed Dallas’ plans.
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> BIGGER DIGS FOR DRAFT: The Dallas Cowboys originally expected their Star headquarters in Frisco, Texas, to be more central to hosting the 2018 draft, but when a quarter-million people showed up for this year’s event in Philadelphia, the NFL changed how it wanted the event handled. The Star, while impressive, is simply too small to manage that type of crowd, so the Cowboys adjusted their plans, one of the reasons the announcement was delayed a few months. Now all draft rounds and the fan festival will be held in Arlington at the team’s spacious stadium. The press release thanked Frisco though it detailed no events there, but a team spokesman said to stay tuned on that score.
First Look podcast, with wide-ranging discussion on NFL issues:
> TITLETOWN ADDITION: Green Bay Packers general counsel Ed Policy has been working more than four years on last week’s announcement that Microsoft would form a joint venture with the team to create an entrepreneurial accelerator and innovation lab in the 45-acre Titletown district. The concept of Titletown is to generate business for Green Bay, which in turn gives the region enough of an economic base to keep the team there. While not a requirement, businesses that come out of the accelerator are expected to stay in Green Bay and will come from disciplines beyond.
> WINNING TIX: The Kansas City Chiefs have had success selling tickets to millennials that provide their seat location three hours before kickoff, selling 1,500 season tickets like this. The tickets are available only on mobile, cannot be transferred and, given the limitations, are cheaper than standard ducats, running $200 for the 10-game schedule. The team also sold 1,200 tickets like this to a single home game, the Monday night game Oct. 2 against the Washington Redskins. Team President Mark Donovan said the age group buying the mobile tickets is 10 to 15 years younger than the average for traditional season tickets.
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The Chiefs’ variable-seat ticket is popular at Arrowhead.
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> PSL WAIVER: Owners approved a waiver for the up to $1 billion in personal seat license revenue the Los Angeles Rams expect to raise. These waivers are common for new stadiums, and means the money is not shared with the other 31 teams.
> QUICK HITS: It was a two-for-one for Cowboys general counsel Jason Cohen. Last week’s suddenly scheduled hearing on the Ezekiel Elliott-NFL case took place less than a mile from the NFL meeting, so he was able to attend both. … The Conrad Hotel has hosted two NFL meetings now and they have been doozies. The one here three years ago occurred in the wake of the domestic violence scandals, when the league introduced new chief investigator Lisa Friel. … Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, chairman of the compensation committee, said good progress is being made on Commissioner Roger Goodell’s new contract, but suggested the controversy over protests during the national anthem had delayed getting to the end zone on that one. … Jaguars President Mark Lamping confirmed media reports that business is down for the Jags. He said it’s not because of the anthem issue but likely the effects of poor records over the years.
