History of NFL Network in Timeline
NFL Network is an American pay television channel owned by NFL Media. It focuses on American football, offering NFL game telecasts and various NFL-related content such as analysis shows, specials, and documentaries. The network is dedicated to providing fans with in-depth coverage of the NFL.
November 4, 2003: NFL Network Launch
On November 4, 2003, NFL Network was launched after unanimous approval from the league's 32 team owners. The league invested $100 million to fund the network's operations, which was initially based in Culver City, California.
August 2004: NFL Network HD Launched
In August 2004, NFL Network HD, a 1080i high definition simulcast feed of NFL Network, was launched and made available nationally on satellite providers DirecTV and Dish Network, and regionally on Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse and most Comcast and Cogeco Cable systems.
2004: NFL Network Refused by Cablevision
In 2004, Cablevision initially refused to carry the NFL Network.
2004: Charter Communications Provides NFL Network
In 2004, Charter Communications became one of the first multiple system operators to provide NFL Network. Initially the deal called for the network to be carried on Charter's digital-basic programming and included NFL HD and NFL On Demand.
2004: Insight Communications Reaches Agreement with NFL Network
In 2004, Insight Communications reached a carriage agreement with the NFL Network to carry the network on the provider's digital tier, in addition to carrying NFL Network On Demand and NFL Network HD.
2004: NFL Network Approved for Distribution in Canada
In 2004, NFL Network was approved for distribution on Canadian television providers by the CRTC; any NFL Network-exclusive live games are blacked out on the feed distributed in Canada, as those games are aired on Bell Media's networks, including TSN and CTV/CTV 2.
2004: NFL Network Website Launch
In 2004, the NFL Network website was launched on NFL.com, expanding its digital presence.
December 2005: NFL Network Pulls From Charter, Files Suit
In December 2005, the NFL Network pulled itself from Charter and filed a breach of contract suit against the provider in the New York Supreme Court over contract language regarding distribution, wanting a 125% rate increase in carriage fees and placement on Charter's expanded basic tiers.
November 10, 2006: Comcast to Add NFL Network on Digital Tier
On November 10, 2006, Comcast announced it would add NFL Network on its digital tier in time for the debut of Thursday Night Football.
November 23, 2006: Insight Misses First Game
On November 23, 2006, Insight did not show the first-ever game between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs due to the extra surcharge providers pay to carry the games.
2006: Thursday Night Football Broadcasts Begin
In 2006, NFL Network began broadcasting eight regular-season NFL games during Thursday prime time, branded as Thursday Night Football. The network also began coverage of the NFL draft.
2006: Televising College Football Bowl Games
In 2006, NFL Network began televising college football bowl games, acquiring rights to the newly established Texas Bowl in Houston, the Insight Bowl, as well as two all-star events—the Senior Bowl and the Las Vegas All-American Classic. The 2006 Insight Bowl featured the largest comeback victory in Division I FBS bowl game history.
2006: Introduction of Original Game Broadcasts
In 2006, NFL Network introduced original game broadcasts through the Run to the Playoffs, featuring Thursday Night Football and Saturday Night Football.
2006: NFL Network Offered Free Preview
In 2006, NFL Network offered a free preview from December 24 to 30 to Suddenlink Communications systems in West Texas, and to Time Warner Cable and Cablevision systems in the New York City area. The package included the Texas Bowl and Insight Bowl, but excluded that week's NFL game between the New York Giants and Washington Redskins.
2006: Original Agreement for carriage on America's Top 100
In 2006, NFL Network's agreement for carriage on America's Top 100 package was created. Dish Network violated it by moving it to the America's Top 200 package, which resulted in the New York State Supreme Court Judge Rich Lowe ruling in favor of NFL Network.
2006: NFL Network Added to Cablevision
In 2006, the dispute between NFL Network and Cablevision ended when the network was added to Cablevision.
2006: Thursday Night Football Announcers
In 2006, when Thursday Night Football premiered on NFL Network, Bryant Gumbel served as play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as color commentator. Collinsworth won the Sports Emmy for best game analyst for his work on the telecasts. Dick Vermeil replaced Collinsworth for two games.
April 14, 2007: Telecast of Nebraska Cornhuskers' Spring Football Game
On April 14, 2007, NFL Network televised the Nebraska Cornhuskers' spring football game.
May 2007: Comcast Allowed to Move NFL Network
In May 2007, a court ruled that Comcast was allowed to move NFL Network from its second-most distributed tier to the company's sports tier, leading to a court battle and cease-and-desist letter from Comcast to NFL Network.
June 2007: Airing of High School All-Star Games
In June 2007, NFL Network aired two high school all-star games: the Bayou Bowl between players from Texas and Louisiana on June 9, and the Big 33 Football Classic between players from Pennsylvania and Ohio on June 16.
August 6, 2007: Comcast Moves NFL Network to Sports Entertainment Package
On August 6, 2007, Comcast moved NFL Network from the digital tiers to the Sports Entertainment Package, leading to a court battle between NFL Network and Comcast.
December 2007: Senator John Kerry Urges Resolution for Patriots-Giants Game
In December 2007, U.S. Senator John Kerry wrote to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, urging a resolution to carriage disputes in time for the New England Patriots-New York Giants game on December 29. This resulted in a simulcast agreement between NFL Network, NBC, and CBS.
December 20, 2007: NFL Network Proposes Binding Arbitration to Time Warner Cable
On December 20, 2007, the NFL Network proposed to Time Warner Cable to enter into binding arbitration to determine the price and tier for NFL Network on the provider's systems, based on fair market value of the service.
December 29, 2007: NFL Network Offers Patriots-Giants Game to Time Warner Cable
On December 29, 2007, NFL Network offered to make the December 29, 2007, game between the then unbeaten New England Patriots and New York Giants immediately available to Time Warner Cable subscribers upon agreement to participate in the arbitration process.
2007: Thursday Night Football Announcer Replacements
In 2007, Marshall Faulk and Deion Sanders replaced Cris Collinsworth when needed for Thursday Night Football broadcasts on NFL Network.
2007: Broadcast of Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
In 2007, NFL Network occasionally broadcast selected preseason games as special editions of Thursday Night Football, such as the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints. NBC had opted out to carry the proposed China Bowl preseason game in Beijing, which was eventually cancelled.
2007: Controversy Surrounding NFL Network Carriage Restrictions
In 2007, controversy arose due to NFL Network's carriage restrictions, particularly during matchups with major implications, such as the Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers game, leaving many fans unable to view it.
2007: NFL Network Simulcasts Game
In 2007, the NFL Network's decision to simulcast the New England Patriots-New York Giants game on CBS and NBC led to Dish Network moving the NFL Network to a higher tier.
February 2008: NFL in Discussions with Disney over NFL Network Partnership
In February 2008, The Wall Street Journal reported that the NFL had been in discussion with Disney executives over the possibility of partnering with ESPN to bolster NFL Network. One analyst suggested NFL Network being combined into its lesser-viewed ESPN Classic channel.
February 20, 2008: Dish Network Moves NFL Network to Higher Tier
On February 20, 2008, Dish Network moved the NFL Network from its "America's Top 100" package to the "America's Top 200" package, costing the NFL Network four million subscribers.
February 26, 2008: New York Court Reverses Judgment on Comcast's Move of NFL Network
On February 26, 2008, a New York appellate court reversed a May 2007 judgment that allowed Comcast to move the network from its second-most distributed tier to the company's sports tier.
February 27, 2008: NFL Network Announces Suit Against Dish Network
On February 27, 2008, the NFL Network announced it would file suit against Dish Network for moving the network to "America's Top 200".
March 2008: NFL Shifts Focus to Other Providers
As of March 2008, the NFL no longer encouraged customers to switch to Dish Network, instead encouraging customers to switch to DirecTV, Verizon FiOS or AT&T U-verse if their provider does not carry the network or has placed the network on a higher-priced tier.
October 10, 2008: FCC Rules on NFL Network Discrimination Case Against Comcast
On October 10, 2008, the FCC ruled on NFL Network's discrimination case against Comcast, which claimed Comcast unfairly charged extra for NFL Network while not charging extra for sports channels it owned, Versus and Golf Channel.
October 2008: In-Studio Programs Begin Airing in "Enhanced HD"
In mid-October 2008, in-studio programs on NFL Network began to air in "enhanced HD", which featured additional scores and statistics on a dedicated wing on the right side of the screen that was only visible on the HD feed.
2008: Reduction of Saturday Games
In 2008, most Saturday games were dropped from the Run to the Playoffs package.
2008: Initial Plans for UK Distribution
In 2008, there were reports that the network would be made available in the United Kingdom, but this did not occur. However, NFL Network programming is now seen in the UK on Sky Sports.
2008: Airing of Bowl Games
In late 2007 and early 2008, NFL Network aired the Insight, Texas and Senior Bowls.
January 15, 2009: Court Rules in Favor of NFL Network
On January 15, 2009, New York State Supreme Court Judge Rich Lowe ruled in favor of NFL Network, claiming their 2006 agreement for carriage on America's Top 100 package was still valid and Dish Network violated it by moving it to the America's Top 200 package.
April 10, 2009: Comcast to Remove NFL Network
On April 10, 2009, it was confirmed that Comcast would remove the channel on that date due to failing to reach a carriage agreement with NFL Network.
April 14, 2009: Trial Begins in NFL Network's Discrimination Case Against Comcast
On April 14, 2009, the trial began before an administrative law judge in NFL Network's discrimination case against Comcast.
April 17, 2009: Comcast CEO Testifies in NFL Network Trial
On April 17, 2009, Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts testified that the provider was willing to move the channel from the Sports Entertainment Package to a lower-priced base package if the subscriber fee was reduced to 25¢ per month.
April 30, 2009: Comcast to continue carrying NFL Network while negotiations proceed.
On April 30, 2009, NFL Network Total Access correspondent Lindsey Soto reported Comcast would continue to carry the network after its contract expired at midnight as negotiations proceeded.
April 30, 2009: NFL Network Continues to be Carried on Comcast Temporarily
On April 30, 2009, NFL Network announced that it would continue to be carried on Comcast in the interim while both sides tried to reach an agreement on a new contract.
May 1, 2009: NFL Total Access Upgraded to Full HD
On May 1, 2009, NFL Total Access began airing in full HD without pillarboxing or enhanced graphics.
May 19, 2009: NFL and Comcast Reach Ten-Year Agreement
On May 19, 2009, the NFL and Comcast reached a ten-year agreement to place NFL Network on Comcast's Digital Classic package by August 1, 2009, for a monthly price between 45 and 50¢.
July 30, 2009: NFL Network Made Available to Lower-Tiered Comcast Subscribers
On July 30, 2009, NFL Network was made available to lower-tiered Comcast digital cable subscribers.
August 1, 2009: NFL Network to be on Comcast's Digital Classic package
On August 1, 2009, NFL Network was to be placed on Comcast's Digital Classic package for a monthly price between 45 and 50¢, instead of the 70¢ fee that the NFL originally requested.
2009: All Games Branded as Thursday Night Football
Beginning in 2009, all games in the Run to the Playoffs package were branded as Thursday Night Football, regardless of the night.
2009: NFL Network App Launch
In 2009, the NFL Network launched its app, providing mobile access to its content.
July 1, 2010: Airing of Canadian Football League Games
On July 1, 2010, NFL Network began airing live Canadian Football League games simulcast from Canadian sports network TSN. NFL Network aired the league's Thursday games, three Saturday games during the month of July, and then Friday night games beginning in September.
August 20, 2010: National Cable Television Cooperative Reaches Agreement
On August 20, 2010, the National Cable Television Cooperative reached an agreement to carry the NFL Network on the organization's participating providers, including Suddenlink Communications.
2010: Broadcast Rights to Arena Football League
From 2010 to 2012, NFL Network held the broadcast rights to the revived Arena Football League. Starting with the 2010 season, the network broadcast a weekly Friday Night Football game each week during the regular season and playoff games at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time from March to August, in addition to rights to playoff games and the ArenaBowl.
January 2011: NFL Network Availability on Comcast Xfinity in Atlanta
As of January 2011, the NFL Network was available only on the Digital Preferred or Sports package on Comcast's Xfinity system in Atlanta, Georgia, and not on a Digital Classic package, contrary to a previous agreement between Comcast and the NFL.
August 2011: Charter and NFL Network Reach New Agreement
In August 2011, Charter Communications and NFL Network announced that the two parties had reached a new, long-term agreement to carry the NFL Network and RedZone in time for the 2011 season.
2011: Providers Exclusively Carry HD Feed
During 2011, most providers began to exclusively carry the HD feed of the NFL Network, transmitting a downscaled and letterboxed version of the HD feed to provide the channel in 4:3 standard definition for analog viewers.
January 2012: Insight Acquired by Time Warner Cable
In January 2012, Insight Communications was acquired by Time Warner Cable.
May 25, 2012: Non-Renewal of CFL Contract
On May 25, 2012, NFL Network announced it would not renew its contract with the CFL. The package was subsequently acquired by the NBC Sports Network, then by the ESPN networks.
July 2012: Standard Definition Feed Discontinued
In July 2012, the standard definition feed of the NFL Network was discontinued entirely, concurrent with the introduction of the network's current logo.
September 21, 2012: Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks Reach Agreement to Carry NFL Network
On September 21, 2012, it was reported that Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks had reached an agreement to carry NFL Network and NFL RedZone, with full distribution across the company's systems planned to be completed by September 27.
2012: End of Arena Football League Broadcast Rights
From 2010 to 2012, NFL Network held the broadcast rights to the revived Arena Football League
2012: Termination of Arena Football League Broadcast Contract
NFL Network ceased airing Arena Football League games partway through the 2012 season due to labor problems within the league. The remaining games were carried on tape delay before the network terminated the broadcast contract. CBS Sports Network then obtained the rights.
2012: Expansion of Thursday Night Football
Starting with the 2012 season, Thursday Night Football expanded to include a weekly game from Weeks 2 through 15, excluding the Kickoff Game and Thanksgiving Day. Every NFL team now appears in at least one timeslot-exclusive nationally televised game per season.
2014: Sub-Licensing Agreement with CBS
In the 2014 NFL season, NFL Network established a sub-licensing agreement with CBS to increase the prominence of the Thursday Night Football package, under which a portion of the package would air in simulcast on broadcast television, and CBS Sports would produce all games.
2014: Selected preseason games broadcast
Prior to 2014, NFL Network occasionally broadcast selected preseason games as special editions of Thursday Night Football
February 2015: Availability in US households
As of February 2015, NFL Network reached approximately 71.1 million households in the United States.
2015: Suspension of Blackout Rules
In 2015, prior to the suspension of blackout rules, NFL Network telecasts were aired on a designated broadcast television station in the primary markets of participating teams only if the televised game sold out all remaining available tickets 72 hours prior to the game's start time.
June 16, 2016: Dish and NFL Network Contract Expires
On June 16, 2016, Dish entered a new dispute with the NFL Network when the contract to carry the network expired at 7 PM ET, which resulted in the removal of the NFL Network and NFL Red Zone from the Dish Lineup.
August 11, 2016: Sling TV Adds NFL Network and RedZone
On August 11, 2016, Dish subsidiary Sling TV added both NFL Network and NFL Red Zone to its lineup, in time for the start of the 2016 NFL preseason schedule.
2016: NBC Sports Gains Portion of Thursday Night Football
In 2016, NBC Sports also gained a portion of the Thursday Night Football package under a similar arrangement to the one with CBS.
2016: NFL Network Replays NFL RedZone During Offseason
Starting in 2016, NFL Network began replaying one week of NFL RedZone every Sunday from the previous season during the offseason.
2017: NFL Network Offered as Part of DAZN's NFL Game Pass Service
As of 2017, NFL Network is offered as part of DAZN's NFL Game Pass service.
2017: NFL Network Joins DAZN's IPTV Subscription Service
Starting with the 2017 season, NFL Network became part of the IPTV subscription service DAZN, which also offers NFL RedZone to German viewers.
2018: Fox Sports Takes Over Thursday Night Football
From 2018 to 2022, Fox Sports took over the Thursday Night Football package from NFL Network.
2018: Thursday Night Football Simulcast with Fox Sports
In 2018, NFL Network's Thursday Night Football was simulcast in a co-production with Fox Sports for one year.
January 31, 2019: NFL Network Signs Multi-Year Deal to Air AAF Games
On January 31, 2019, NFL Network signed a multi-year deal to air Alliance of American Football games, broadcasting two games per week. The broadcasts were produced with CBS Sports, but the league folded during its inaugural season.
April 15, 2019: AT&T U-verse Removes NFL Network
On April 15, 2019, AT&T U-verse removed the NFL Network channel from its lineup, along with NFL RedZone.
May 2019: Agreement with Conference USA
In May 2019, NFL Network announced a four-year deal with Conference USA to air a weekly regular-season game on Saturday afternoons beginning in the 2019 season.
2019: Interest in Picking Up CFL Games Again
In 2019, NFL Network expressed interest in picking up CFL games again after its previous deal with ESPN expired. However, the CFL renewed its agreement with ESPN instead.
2019: Exclusive Broadcast Rights Moved to ABC
In 2019, exclusive over-the-air broadcast rights for Thursday Night Football moved to ABC, with ESPN producing a different broadcast for 'casual' fans.
2019: Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic
Since 2019, NFL Network has annually carried the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic, a college football kickoff game that features a matchup of two historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) on the Sunday before Labor Day.
2020: Simulcast of ESPN's NFL Draft Coverage
In 2020, NFL Network simulcasted ESPN's coverage of that year's draft, which was produced remotely from commissioner Roger Goodell’s basement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020: Sky Sports NFL Begins Broadcasting NFL Network Programs
Since 2020, Sky Sports NFL has broadcast almost every edition of Good Morning Football and NFL Total Access, and NFL RedZone airs in its entirety on Sky Sports Mix in the UK.
September 8, 2021: Move to Hollywood Park
On September 8, 2021, NFL Network and the rest of NFL Media moved to a 200,000-square-foot space on the campus of Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California, which also features SoFi Stadium.
2022: DirecTV Loses Exclusive Rights to NFL Sunday Ticket
In 2022, the DirecTV-exclusive channel which was a part of NFL Sunday Ticket ended, marking the end of DirecTV's exclusive rights to NFL Sunday Ticket.
2022: Return to Carrying Regular College Football Games
In the 2022 season, NFL Network returned to carrying regular college football games through a weekly sub-license agreement with ESPN.
2022: Amazon Prime Video Exclusive Rights and NFL Network's New Package
With Amazon Prime Video taking over exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football beginning in the 2022 season, NFL Network switched to a package consisting primarily of Sunday morning NFL International Series games, and late-season Saturday games.
June 2023: Availability in US households
In June 2023, NFL Network was available in 51.5 million television households in the United States.
2023: Broadcast Delayed Games from OT7
For the 2023 off-season, the NFL Network broadcast delayed games from the 7-on-7 Overtime's football league (OT7).
2024: Problems with AFL Broadcast Deal
In 2024 the NFL announced they would broadcast 30 regular season games from the 2024 revival of the AFL on NFL Network. However, the league never carried any games, with West Texas Desert Hawks owner Zack Bugg accusing the network of malfeasance after he personally paid for one of his team's games to be televised only for the network never to carry it and claim they never received the money.
2024: Live Coverage of OT7
In 2024, the NFL Network had live coverage of OT7's five-week regular season.
August 5, 2025: Agreement with ESPN Inc. to acquire NFL Network, RedZone, and NFL Fantasy
On August 5, 2025, the NFL announced an agreement with ESPN Inc. to acquire NFL Network, RedZone, and NFL Fantasy for an undisclosed amount, pending regulatory approval. Under the deal, the NFL would acquire a 10% equity stake in ESPN as part of the sale, and NFL Network and RedZone would be included in the forthcoming ESPN over-the-top streaming service. Selected games would also be transferred from ESPN's NFL package to NFL Network, which would continue to carry at least seven exclusive games per season.
January 31, 2026: Regulatory Approval and Closure of ESPN Deal
On January 31, 2026, government regulators approved the deal for ESPN to acquire NFL Network, with the agreement closing shortly thereafter. NFL employees were announced to officially become ESPN employees in April.
2026: Projected Completion of Sale to ESPN
In 2026, Disney projected that the sale of NFL Network to ESPN would be completed by late-2026 as a "best case" scenario.
2026: ESPN acquisition of NFL media assets
In 2026, it was announced that ESPN, Inc. completed its acquisition of NFL media assets, including NFL Network, following regulatory approval in the U.S.
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