TBS has closed a deal with NBCUniversal for the cable syndication rights to the first five seasons of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The pact, which starts in 2017, includes exclusive linear rights as well as associated on-demand tights, including rolling episodes on TV Everywhere. Brooklyn Nine-Nine just kicked off its fourth season on Fox, so the Season 5 component of the deal is contingent on the show being renewed for next season.
The price of the deal is being kept hush hush but some estimate that the cost was about $500,000 per episode. The exclusive SVOD rights to previous seasons of Brooklyn Nine-Nine were sold to Hulu in 2014 as part of a multi-series deal between NBCU and the streaming service. The TBS deal gives the cable network exclusive rights against all linear exhibition of out-of-season episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, including against broadcast syndication.
TBS always had been considered the likely cable home for Brooklyn Nine-Nine. In his previous job running Fox, TNT and TBS president Kevin Reilly developed and greenlighted Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which had been a passion project for him. The cop comedy starring Andy Samberg also fits into TBS’ new direction with original programming for distinctive single-camera comedies that are digital and socially driven.
This is a big deal for any show so this also gives Fox a bit more incentive to keep the renewals coming if the ratings remain about where they are currently. Live numbers aren’t through the roof but the show does well in delayed viewing and streaming.
