ABC May Try to Take CBS or Fox’s Sunday Night NFL Packages

ABC is looking to increase its profile on Sunday nights, as the network is considering making a bid for CBS or Fox’s NFL broadcast packages. The New York Post reports that the network is looking to get back into the football broadcasting game for the first time since sister company ESPN (also owned by Disney) nabbed Monday night Football away.

According to the site, ABC is “kicking arouind” the idea of going after the packages, which would allow the network to also acquire one or more Super Bowls. There’s been no decision made by ABC or Disney execs yet, and both ESPN and ABC declined to comment on the story.

If it does happen, it won’t be for a while as CBS and Fox’s contracts run until 2022. While the NFL has become the subject of criticism by all sides over its handling of National Anthem protests, live sports programming (and live programming of all kinds) is considered to be marquee television because it people are incentivized to watch it live, making it much more attractive to advertisers (no DVR fast-forwarding through commercials). And even with the criticism, the NFL is one of the most watched programs in North America on a weekly basis.