NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell joins Alex Sherman to discuss the league’s international expansion strategy, the possibility of a future overseas franchise, rising team valuations and the next era of NFL media rights. Goodell also addresses an 18-game season, streaming partners, sports betting and prediction markets, succession planning and the league’s next collective bargaining agreement.

Episode Notes

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sits down with Alex Sherman in Melbourne, Australia, ahead of the Rams-49ers matchup to discuss the NFL’s long-term growth strategy and the forces reshaping the league’s business.

Fresh off a four-year contract extension that could keep him as commissioner through March 2031, Goodell explains why international growth remains a major priority. He discusses plans to increase the number of NFL games played outside the United States, the growing global ambitions of players and the possibility that the league could eventually establish one or more international franchises.

The conversation also examines whether the NFL could move toward an 18-game regular season. Goodell says the league continues to evaluate converting preseason games into regular-season contests, while acknowledging that player health, safety and negotiations with the NFL Players Association would be central to any change.

Sherman and Goodell turn to the economics of the league, including surging NFL franchise valuations and whether those prices could lead the NFL to increase its current private equity ownership limits. Goodell says the league is not close to reaching its existing private equity caps and continues to see strong demand from investors.

Media rights are another major focus. Goodell discusses how the NFL is preparing for a rapidly changing television and streaming market, including relationships with Netflix, YouTube and Amazon. He says the league is evaluating how its current rights packages could be restructured while continuing to prioritize broad availability for fans across broadcast television and emerging digital platforms.

The interview also covers the NFL’s partnerships with DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics and why the league has taken a more cautious approach toward prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket. Goodell says stronger regulation, consumer protection and preservation of game integrity are important considerations before the NFL moves forward with those platforms.

Goodell closes by discussing succession planning, the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement in 2031 and why the NFL is already thinking five, 10 and 15 years ahead on labor, media, international growth and stadium strategy.

Timestamps:

04:09 Roger Goodell on his new contract and the NFL’s priorities

05:17 Expanding the NFL’s international schedule

06:16 The possibility of an international NFL franchise

07:18 League expansion and a potential 18-game season

08:23 NFL franchise valuations and private equity ownership

10:09 Preparing for the next NFL media rights negotiations

10:47 Netflix, YouTube, Amazon and the shift to streaming

11:33 Could international games become a separate media package?

12:12 Repackaging NFL broadcast and streaming rights

14:47 Sports betting partnerships and prediction markets

16:22 NFL personal conduct policy

16:41 Goodell’s contract and succession planning

18:01 Looking ahead to the 2031 collective bargaining agreement

19:00 International games, an 18-game season and NFLPA negotiations

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