In Japan NHK, NTV and Gaora are providing viewers with NFL coverage. The 85th season had kicked off on 9 September when the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots hosted the Indianapolis Colts.

NHK will continue to broadcast ABC’s NFL Monday Night Football and has exclusive pay television and high definition rights to broadcast the Super Bowl live in Japan.

Two games per week will be aired on NHK-BS available in 13 million homes, and one game each week on NHK Hi-Vision, the network’s 24-hour high definition channel.

Gaora which claims to be seen in more than four million homes throughout Japan, will broadcast up to six games per week. The network will continue to produce its own localised 30-minute, bi-weekly NFL-themed show.