ViacomCBS-owned AVOD platform Pluto TV has partnered with the NFL to create a new free-to-consumer channel that will stretch the league’s brand out even further.
The NFL Channel, according to today's announcement, will be devoted to National Football League library content and will “celebrate seasons past” with highlights and full reels of classic games, recaps of legendary seasons, and archival episodes of the HBO series Hard Knocks.
As with most channels on ad-supported streaming platforms like Pluto TV, the NFL Channel hopes to deliver an approximation of what pay TV users find on the NFL Network, without crossing over into outright duplication of the experience and undermining the whole model. That's the hope anyway!
The league is already well proliferated across linear television, enjoying multi-billion-dollar deals with Disney-ESPN, Comcast-NBC and the erstwhile CBS Corp., just to name a few partners. But the league, which recently partnered with Amazon, is said to be actively looking to attract younger audiences through digital channels.
Since Viacom purchased Pluto TV in January for $340 million, the platform has purportedly swelled to 18 million regular users. Pluto TV now boasts more than 150 live-streamed channels.
“As a new football season is about to debut, we are incredibly excited to celebrate it with an all-new destination for those looking to relive unforgettable moments and programming from years past,” states Amy Kuessner, senior VP of content partnerships for Pluto TV. “The addition of The NFL Channel on Pluto TV is a gift to our growing audience, a perfect addition to our burgeoning channel lineup and a testament to our love of the game.”
"We're very excited to open up our library of classic games and memorable NFL programming to football fans through our dedicated NFL Channel on Pluto TV," added Ross Ketover, senior executive of NFL Films. "As we celebrate the NFL's 100th season, we know fans will enjoy discovering shows they may have missed, or reliving those unforgettable games and moments that make the NFL special."
