NFL clubs unanimously approved a resolution, which was first raised at a December league meeting, to authorise the Compensation Committee to complete negotiations on a new contract, Goodell’s third as commissioner. His original five-year contract was extended in 2009, and the new agreement will run until March 31, 2019.
Wednesday’s announcement comes on the back of one of the most challenging years of Goodell’s spell as commissioner. In July, Goodell helped secure a landmark 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the NFL Players Association, the longest in the history of professional sports. The agreement brought to an end a four-and-a-half-month lockout that at one stage had seriously threatened the current season. The new CBA has secured team owners 53% of the League’s US$9 billion annual revenues – higher than the 50-50 split with the players under the previous deal.
The new CBA also acted as the spur for the NFL to conclude nine-year extensions of its Sunday broadcast television packages with CBS, Fox and NBC, along with another major contract with ESPN. December’s deals were the longest in NFL history with over-the-air broadcast partners, surpassing the eight-year deals signed with CBS, Fox and ABC from 1998-2005. The new agreements that run from the 2014 season through the 2022 campaign will generate $3.1 billion per season, representing a 63% increase on the current deals worth a total of $1.9 billion with the three broadcasters. ESPN sealed an eight-year rights extension in September to keep the Monday Night Football show on the US cable broadcaster through to 2021 in a deal reported to be worth $15.2 billion.
“I speak on behalf of 32 NFL club owners in saying we are fortunate to have Roger Goodell as our commissioner,” said Atlanta Falcons owner and chairman Arthur M. Blank, who serves as chairman of the NFL Compensation Committee. “Since becoming commissioner in 2006, the NFL – already the leader in professional sports – has gotten even stronger. As evidenced by this contract extension, we have great confidence in Roger’s vision and leadership of the NFL. Our clubs, players and fans could not ask for a better CEO.”
Goodell assumed the commissioner’s position in 2006 with fan interest in the NFL soaring under his leadership. This has included the largest television audiences in league history and 23 of the 25 highest-rated programmes of the current television season, cementing the NFL’s status as America’s most popular sports league. “It is a privilege for me to serve the NFL,” Goodell said. “It is the only place I have ever wanted to work. I am grateful for the contributions and counsel of NFL owners in managing our league, the talented staff that supports us and the players and coaches that perform their magic on the field. It is truly a team effort. I am eagerly looking ahead to the challenge of building on our momentum and doing all we can to improve our game for the fans and everyone that is part of our league.”