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Simulcasting, higher fees lead to $1.5 billion for NFL Network

Leveraging live sports and media power, the National Football League has transformed Thursday night games and its league-owned 24-hour NFL Network into an annual $1.5-billion business.

TV revenue soared as the league hiked pay-TV subscriber fees buried in consumer bills for the NFL Network and resold TV rights to Thursday night games to television broadcasters, creating two revenue streams for same NFL games.

Comcast Corp.-owned NBC and CBS will each televise five Thursday night games in 2016, they recently announced.

The NFL now is negotiating with digital companies to sell Thursday games for streaming. If it reaches a deal, the Thursday games could appear on three separate platforms at the same time: broadcast-TV, cable and online.