'Seinfeld' Cable Rights Land At Viacom, Sending Reruns To Comedy Central And More Channels

Netflix recently acquired the global streaming rights to the classic NBC sitcom Seinfeld when the show's current streaming deal with Hulu expires at the end of 2020. But what about the people who want to see Seinfeld on cable? Where will they see Jerry and his New York friends complaining about everything if they don't have a Netflix subscription?

Viacom has picked up the exclusive cable syndication rights to Seinfeld, which will be leaving TBS around the same time that the show leaves Hulu. That means you'll have a variety of places that you'll be able to watch Seinfeld on cable once 2021 rolls around. Find out more below.

Deadline has word of Seinfeld cable rights going to Viacom starting in October 2021. They'll be sending reruns of the show to Comedy Central, a perfect place for the comedian-driven series. But episodes will also air on Paramount Network and TV Land. The latter is better known for playing more classic sitcoms, and even though Seinfeld doesn't feel ancient, this year does mark the 30th anniversary of the show's premiere on NBC, and it also marks nearly 20 years since it went off the air. So none of us are as young as we think.

Viacom is also in the middle of a merger with CBS, so once that is finalized, Pop TV will also be airing reruns of Seinfeld when they become available. Plus, fans who want to watch episodes on-demand through various websites and apps will be able to access Seinfeld through the proper channels as well.

John Weiser, President of First Run Television for Sony Pictures Television said:

"Seinfeld airing on Comedy Central and the Viacom networks brings together the greatest comedy of all time, with the best brands in cable. This was a tremendous team effort and we are delighted to be working with the first class executives at Viacom who are experts in programming and promotion. For a show about Nothing, this is really Something!"

The Seinfeld cable rights didn't spark nearly as big of a deal as the streaming rights did. While Netflix paid around $500 million for the complete series run of Seinfeld, Viacom reportedly only paid between $200,000 – $250,000 per episode. That's between $36 million and $45 million. Why such a big difference in the cost? A show's value on cable drops in value with every cycle of syndication, and since Seinfeld has been through plenty of them, the cost isn't as high as it used to be.

An Emmy and Golden Globe-winner for Best Comedy Series, Seinfeld stars Jerry Seinfeld as a stand-up comedian whose life in New York City is made even more chaotic by his quirky group of friends who join him in wrestling with life's most perplexing, yet often trivial questions. Co-starring are Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Jerry's ex-girlfriend and current platonic pal, Elaine Benes; Jason Alexander as George Costanza, Jerry's neurotic hard-luck best friend; and Michael Richards as Jerry's eccentric neighbor, Kramer.