There are still two years left in the Television Academy’s “wheel deal” with the four major broadcast networks, keeping the telecast’s home settled through 2026. But it’s not too early to think about the show’s long-term future, especially as we see a rapid decline in how much the conglomerates invest in their linear properties.
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In 2018, when ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox struck an eight-year deal for the Emmys — keeping it rotating annually (the so-called wheel) among them — storm clouds were already brewing. But back then, Netflix was the only real streaming player, and we were still a year or two away from the arrival of Disney+, Max, Apple TV+ and the rest.
By 2026, a lot will have changed. Just last week, Disney did more downsizing with its legacy networks. CBS is rumored to be pulling back on its budgets, including specials (which means the Daytime Emmys may soon need a new home). Even Fox just underwent cutbacks.
Should a new wheel deal be negotiated, it’s likely it would be with the congloms, not the broadcast networks. This year, ABC’s telecast of the Primetime Emmys won’t be available on Hulu until the next day. By 2026, I can guarantee you that all major TV event licenses will be streaming-first deals, for example placing the Emmys on Disney+/Hulu/ABC, NBC/Peacock and CBS/Paramount+ (well, if that still exists) simultaneously.
Given that, I think some companies are more inclined to keep the Emmys alive than others. Perhaps we’ll see one of them take full control of the show, just like the Oscars (ABC), the Grammys (CBS), the Tonys (CBS) and the Golden Globes (as of now, CBS) already do.
There are pros and cons to a single Emmy home. Moving the show from network to network means that no one really has the motivation to put on a huge ratings grabber — since a competitor will benefit from all that marketing and momentum the following year. Maybe giving it to one company would harness more energy to make it a much louder event.
On the other hand, the last time the Emmys sat in one place, it didn’t go so well. From 1966 to 1986, the Emmys rotated between ABC, NBC and CBS. Then upstart Fox swooped in with an offer the TV Academy couldn’t refuse, and stole the show’s exclusive rights away. That sweet payday came at a price: lowered ratings on the fourth network.
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Eventually, the TV Academy moved the telecast exclusively to ABC — but after two years, everyone involved realized that a wheel deal made more sense, this being TV’s biggest night, after all. Consigning the Emmys to just one company suddenly makes it their property — and might make rivals less inclined to make a big deal out of it. And so it has been on network rotation since then.
But I have another idea, one that I’m surprised hasn’t been widely discussed: Make the Primetime Emmys a TV and streaming “roadblock” (in other words, live on every outlet simultaneously).
That’s right, don’t just have the ceremony air in one place each year — make it available everywhere, like a State of the Union address or a “Stand Up to Cancer” charity broadcast.
Think about it: Right now, the TV Academy gets about $8 million a year for its license fee, split among the four networks. What if every broadcaster, conglom and streamer put a share into the pot? The TV Academy could make a few more bucks, and it would be less of an expense for individual outlets.
Most importantly, an Emmy simulcast would be found on every channel and streamer. It would be a moment for the television industry to strut its stuff to a much larger pool of viewers and remind them why they love this medium. Viewership would surge. It would be an equal playing field, because everyone is airing the same ceremony. Perhaps a council of execs from every outlet could come together to help plan the telecast with producers and the Academy.
Hell, why wait until 2026? Let’s smash the wheel and start a Mega Emmy simulcast next year. The clock is ticking.
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