DirecTV has held the rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket package since its inception in 1994. After the next four Sundays, DirecTV will be out.

So who will be in? That’s still to be determined. But it apparently will be determined soon.

Commissioner Roger Goodell, during a press conference following the ownership meeting in Texas, said that he provided ownership with a “very brief” update.

“I would say it’s in a very critical point for us,” Goodell said. “We’ve had a lot of interest in this, and we continue to. Our decisions are not based on timelines. They’re based on it being the best outcome with the best party.”

The Sunday Ticket product will become a streaming package in 2023. For months, Apple had been regarded as the frontrunner. But without multiple parties clamoring for the deal, it’s difficult to get the maximum package.

And that may ultimately be the reason for the delay. The NFL has yet to get what it wants, so why not wait?