Streaming platform DAZN has acquired exclusive English- and Italian-language rights to the NFL in Italy, replacing pay-television broadcasters Fox and Mediaset.
It is thought DAZN acquired the rights directly from the NFL, as MP & Silva’s five-year deal for NFL rights across Europe, from 2015 to 2019, was cancelled due to the agency’s collapse.
English-language and Italian-language rights were previous split across multiple broadcasters, with Fox holding English-language rights and Mediaset broadcasting in Italian. Each broadcaster held rights to two games per week.
DAZN will hold rights to four games per week from 2018, as well as all of the NFL playoffs, exhibition games such as the Pro-Bowl, and the season-ending Super Bowl.
DAZN now holds rights to three of the four major American leagues – the NFL, the NHL and MLB. Pay-television operator Sky holds rights to the NBA.