CBS Will Televise 8 Thursday Night Football Games Next Fall

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL announces that CBS will televise 8 Thursday night football games next fall.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, “the deal, valued at less than $300 million according to sources, includes an option for a second year”:

The NFL has used the Thursday night games to grow its network. Last season, the 13-game Thursday night package averaged 8 million viewers on NFL Network, considerably fewer than turn out for the Sunday afternoon and evening games on CBS, Fox and NBC or ESPN’s Monday Night Football. And league officials hope that having the Thursday-night games simulcast on a broadcast network will raise the games’ profile among viewers. Significantly, NFL Network will retain exclusive rights to the late-season Thursday night games. The mix of games will include 14 on Thursday nights and two late-season games on Saturday.

Breitbart Sports contributed to this article.