NFL, Yahoo announce deal to stream one regular-season game for free

The NFL will stream the live broadcast of a regular-season game over the Internet next season for the first time, the league announced Wednesday.

In a partnership with Yahoo, the NFL will stream the Oct. 25 game between the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars from London on Oct. 25 for free. The league says the game will be available to “fans around the world for free on any device.”

The game will be made available across several Yahoo properties, including Yahoo Sports, Yahoo Screen and Tumblr. It is the first deal the NFL has ever made outside of traditional cable and satellite television providers to provide live, regular-season game content to fans.

“The NFL has always been committed to being at the forefront of media innovation,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “Through this partnership with Yahoo -- one of the world’s most recognizable digital brands -- we are taking another important step in that direction as we continue to closely monitor the rapidly evolving digital media landscape.”

Still, the game allows the NFL to take a somewhat cautious approach to its first foray into regular-season game streaming. The Bills-Jaguars contest is part of the league’s annual International Series, and it’s scheduled to start at 6:30 a.m. PDT -- 3½ hours earlier than a typical early Sunday game. The game won’t be on live TV, except in the Buffalo and Jacksonville markets.

This isn’t the first time the NFL has tried to expand its digital footprint using its broadcasting resources. In January, the league launched a YouTube channel with game previews, post-game recaps and news clips.

“Our partnership provides the ultimate football experience -- with digital availability, designed for the modern fan,” said Marissa Mayer, president and chief executive of Yahoo.