The National Football League (NFL) is attempting to increase its reach by live-streaming all three of its London-based games, with Apple and Google in-line to win the rights.
According to Reuters, the NFL is looking to ramp up its live-streaming proposition after 15.2m viewers watched Jacksonville Jaguars take on Buffalo Bills at Wembley Stadium via a Yahoo live-stream – the first time a technology company broadcast an NFL game free.
Despite being broadcast during the early morning hours in the US, an average of 2.36m viewers were watching at any given time, while a third of the audience came from outside the US.
If Apple or Google won the rights it would be the first time either company streamed a live game. Apple would potentially broadcast via Apple TV, while Google has its YouTube platform.
The three games scheduled to be played in London this season are Indianapolis versus the Jacksonville Jaguars on 2 October at Wembley, the first ever Twickenham-based game between the New York Giants and the St Louis Rams on 23 October and the Washington Redskins against the Cincinnati Bengals back at Wembley on 30 October.
