CBS Sports
CBS Sports is a major U.S. broadcast sports rights holder, now led by David Berson, with a multiyear portfolio locked through the decade across NFL, NCAA, Rugby World Cup, and more.
Each signal is one documented data point captured by our continuous pipeline: a trade-press mention, festival market activity, executive statement, or acquisition activity update. Higher signal volume means CBS Sports is generating more public market activity right now.
With marquee properties locked through this decade and beyond, CBS Sports under David Berson is focused on deepening its global sports rights portfolio rather than opening new acquisition windows.
CBS Sports occupies a dominant position in U.S. broadcast sports television, operating across linear, cable, digital, and streaming platforms under the Paramount Global umbrella. The network's strategic posture is defined by long-term rights security: outgoing chairman Sean McManus, who retired in April 2024 after steering the division for decades, noted publicly that all of CBS Sports' marquee properties are "locked up through this decade and beyond." His successor, David Berson, who served as president of CBS Sports for more than ten years before assuming the chairman role, inherits a portfolio that includes the NFL, NCAA, Big Ten, PGA Tour, UEFA, PGA of America, the SEC, and the Masters. The most recent landmark acquisition, completed in May 2025, was a multiyear deal securing U.S. broadcast rights for the next three Rugby World Cups (2025 Women's, 2027 Men's, 2029 Women's) alongside additional World Rugby competitions including the WXV Global Series, HSBC SVNS, World Rugby U20 Championship, Pacific Nations Cup, and Pacific Four Series.\n\nOver the past 12 months, CBS Sports' acquisition activity has centered on extending and broadening its sports rights pipeline rather than pursuing one-off event deals. The Rugby World Cup package is emblematic of the network's current pattern: multiyear, multi-competition bundles that deliver stable content pipelines and build audience loyalty across broadcast, cable, digital, and streaming windows. The content focus skews toward high-speed competitive events with global appeal, consistent with the broader broadcaster trend of securing rights that travel well across platforms. Budget terms on recent deals have not been publicly disclosed, but the scale and duration of the Rugby rights package signals a meaningful financial commitment aligned with CBS Sports' established practice of prioritizing marquee, long-horizon agreements.\n\nFor screenwriters and independent producers, CBS Sports is not a conventional script-acquisition buyer. Its mandate is sports broadcast rights, not narrative or scripted content. Material reaches the network through established sports governing bodies, rights agencies, and long-standing league and federation relationships managed at the executive level by Berson and his senior team. There is no open submission pathway for scripted or unscripted entertainment content. Producers developing sports documentary or adjacent programming would need to approach CBS Sports through a represented intermediary with existing network relationships, or via a co-production structure with a Paramount Global-affiliated entity.
Rights to additional World Rugby competitions (WXV Global Series, HSBC SVNS, World Rugby U20 Championship, Pacific Nations Cup, Pacific Four Series)
US broadcast rights for the next three men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups (2025 W, 2027 M, 2029 W)
With marquee properties locked through this decade and beyond, CBS Sports under David Berson is focused on deepening its global sports rights portfolio rather than opening new acquisition windows.
Aligns with broadcaster trend of securing multiyear sports rights deals to build stable content pipelines and audience loyalty in competitive sports programming market
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Does CBS Sports accept unsolicited scripts or pitches?
CBS Sports does not acquire scripted content or accept unsolicited script submissions. Its mandate is sports broadcast rights, secured through direct deals with leagues, federations, and governing bodies such as the NFL, NCAA, World Rugby, and the PGA Tour. Screenwriters and narrative producers should look to CBS Entertainment or Paramount Global's scripted divisions rather than CBS Sports for any script-based opportunities.
What budget range does CBS Sports work at for acquisitions?
CBS Sports operates at the top tier of the sports rights market. Recent deals, including the multiyear Rugby World Cup package covering the 2025 Women's, 2027 Men's, and 2029 Women's tournaments plus five additional World Rugby competitions, have not had terms publicly disclosed. Historically, its NFL, NCAA, and PGA Tour agreements represent nine-figure, multiyear commitments consistent with major broadcast network spending.
What festivals or markets does CBS Sports source content from?
CBS Sports does not source content from film festivals or traditional entertainment markets such as Sundance, Cannes, or AFM. Rights acquisitions are negotiated directly with sports governing bodies, leagues, and federations. The network's recent World Rugby deal, announced in May 2025, is representative of how CBS Sports builds its content pipeline through bilateral rights negotiations rather than market-floor acquisitions.
How do I get my project in front of CBS Sports?
Access to CBS Sports' acquisitions team is not available through open submissions. The network acquires sports broadcast rights through long-standing relationships with leagues and federations managed by chairman David Berson and his senior executives. Producers developing sports documentary or adjacent unscripted content would need representation with existing CBS or Paramount Global relationships, or a co-production arrangement with a Paramount-affiliated production entity.
What genres or sports is CBS Sports currently acquiring?
CBS Sports' current acquisition focus is on high-speed competitive sports with global audience appeal. The May 2025 World Rugby deal, covering the Rugby World Cup and competitions including the WXV Global Series, HSBC SVNS, and Pacific Nations Cup, reflects an expansion into international rugby. The existing portfolio spans the NFL, NCAA basketball and football, Big Ten, PGA Tour, UEFA, SEC, and the Masters, with all major properties secured through the decade.
Is CBS Sports currently active in the acquisitions market?
CBS Sports remains active in the sports rights market, with its most recent acquisition recorded in May 2025. However, chairman David Berson has inherited a portfolio that outgoing chairman Sean McManus described as locked up through this decade and beyond. Near-term deal velocity is low, with no new deals recorded in the 30 or 90 days prior to the latest signal date of April 2026, suggesting the network is in a consolidation rather than expansion phase.
Profile compiled from publicly-available sources: trade press (Deadline, Variety, IndieWire, The Hollywood Reporter, Screen Daily), festival market reports (Cannes Marche, AFM, EFM, TIFF Industry), executive public statements, and acquisition announcements. Activity counters reflect signal volume from continuous pipeline indexing.
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