Los Angeles - The National Football League (NFL) has reached a deal with NBC to for the first time provide live Internet streaming of NBC's "Sunday Night Football" games, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The league has historically been reluctant to chance diluting the audience for its lucrative broadcast deals by offering simultaneous Internet video, but is looking for ways to follow younger viewers online.

The one-year deal, financial terms of which were not disclosed, will begin on Sept. 4 with the Redskins versus the Giants, and include the live play-by-play from commentators Al Michaels and John Madden.

NBC will sell ads against the streams, which will be offered on both NBC and NFL websites.

"We are taking a big leap here," Steve Bornstein, chief executive of the NFL Network, told the Times.

"We are looking at this as a learning opportunity to see what applications work online. We are trying to be innovative and creative to make the viewing experience better for our fans."

Related Links:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-fi-nfl26-2008jul26,0,6562578.story