NFL finalizes TV deal with networks, giving NBC, CBS and Fox broadcast rights through 2022

The National Football League finalized its television deal with NBC, CBS and Fox, extending their broadcast rights for games through 2022. The deal became possibly largely thanks to a new collective bargaining agreement between the NFL Players Association and the team owners, making sure that a lock out will not happen for another 10 years. The networks will now pay a combined $3 billion a year to continue their broadcasting rights.

The nine-year contract extension keeps the terms of the current contract, which ends in 2013, although it does change a few major details, notes USA Today. The three networks will now allow streaming on portable devices like tablets, but it is not likely that every game would be available because that would cut into DirecTV’s service that brings every game to fans.

Another possible change is that ESPN could wind up with a playoff game. According to The New York Times, one of the biggest changes is that NBC will now get the prime time Thanksgiving Day game, which is currently on the NFL Network. NBC gave up its right to show one of the Wild Card playoff games, which the NFL hopes it can sell to ESPN for $100 million. The divisional playoff game that will not air on NBC will be swapped between CBS and Fox on alternating years.

CBS Sports also reports that the contract gives each network three Super Bowls, keeping the current rotation. This year’s Super Bowl is on NBC.

Another aspect is the ability to ‘flex’ games earlier in the season. This gives NBC the right to chose the most important game to air on Sunday nights. CBS and Fox will also be able to do this for their 4:15 p.m. games, meaning that NFC games could wind up on CBS or AFC games could be on Fox for the first time ever.

ESPN agreed three months ago to raise its payment to the league to $1.9 billion a year to show Monday Night Football and other programs.