Alphabet’s NFL deal likely accelerates ad dollars’ move to streaming, says Piper

After the National Football League announced a multi-year agreement with Alphabet’s YouTube for rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket, Piper Sandler analyst Thomas Champion said he views the news as a positive and as a move that likely accelerates the push toward over-the-top time spent and ad dollars moving to streaming. He would expect a drag on margins, at least initially, given the upfront cost, but with Alphabet’s scale and infrastructure he would “imagine they are well positioned to drive profitable margins in time,” said Champion, who reiterates Overweight rating and $122 price target on Alphabet shares.