The Varsity NFL’s New TV Order
Feb 11, 2026
Ben Strauss, former Washington Post media reporter who lived through the paper’s mass layoffs and the sports desk shutdown. He recounts his layoff experience and newsroom reactions. They explore the NFL’s hold on TV networks, upcoming media rights battles, international expansion, and NBC’s Super Bowl production critiques.
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NFL Opt-Out Looms Over Media Deals
- The NFL plans to opt out of current deals after 2029 and is expected to push for renegotiation this fall.
- Networks fear steep fee increases could imperil their businesses and the wider sports-media landscape.
Rights Fees Could Reshape Networks
- A large rights-fee increase would strain networks; Comcast paying ~$2B for Sunday Night could be unsustainable at double that price.
- How negotiations land will define the sports-media business for the year.
Layoff Moment In San Francisco
- Ben Strauss describes getting an early-morning email and a Zoom that announced the Washington Post would eliminate the sports section.
- He waited in a San Francisco hotel room, got the "thumbs down" email, and felt surreal shock and regret.