The NFL has pushed back against criticism from President Donald Trump and the U.S. Justice Department over its decision to put more games on streaming platforms. At a recent press conference, NFL executive vice president of media distribution Hans Schroeder made it clear the league is not backing down. “We love our model,” he said. “We think we have the most fan-friendly model there is of any sport or entertainment as far as distribution.”
According to ESPN, the NFL currently airs 87% of its games on free broadcast networks like CBS, NBC, FOX, and ABC. Trump, in an interview with Full Measure, said it is “tough” on fans who cannot afford to pay for streaming services, and suggested the government might step in, saying, “I don’t know, but I don’t like it.” The National Association of Broadcasters also urged the Justice Department to look into the league’s broadcast deals.
The Justice Department has reportedly started reviewing the NFL’s broadcast distribution decisions for possible anticompetitive behavior under the Sports Broadcasting Act (SBA) of 1961. The SBA gives the NFL limited antitrust protections and allows the league to negotiate TV rights packages. As the NFL moves more games to streaming, the overall cost of watching has gone up for fans.
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The NFL believes its mix of broadcast and streaming is the best deal for fans
Despite the pressure, the NFL says it remains committed to staying on broadcast television. “We’re committed to being on broadcast television in ways that other content is not and continue to be in the hopes of reaching our fans,” said NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller.
“So, if the NAB or FOX or others are questioning the merits of that, I’m not sure I really understand where that comes from. But we’ll continue to do what’s best for our fans and that means continue to stay on broadcast television.” Off the field, sports continues to make headlines too, such as the recent case of Alabama’s Dre Fitzpatrick Jr. and his post-game field fight ruling.
Schroeder also defended the league’s move onto platforms like Netflix, pointing to how widely used they already are. “When we’re going onto Netflix, we’re going onto a platform that is already massively adopted and a huge number of viewers on that platform already, including a huge number of NFL fans,” he said. The league sees this as a way to meet fans where they already spend their time, especially as more people cut the cord on traditional cable.
Schroeder explained that the league still values its place on broadcast TV but also wants to be present on platforms where NFL fans are active. “We think broadcast [networks] have been an incredible home,” he said.
“And, now, we also know fans are increasingly spending their time on other platforms as well. They tune into broadcast for the NFL and that’s where we want to be. But we also want to be on these platforms with a limited amount of our games where we know our NFL fans are already as well.”
The broader concern raised by critics is that moving games to streaming is making it more expensive for average fans to watch the NFL. Some fans who cannot afford multiple streaming subscriptions may end up missing games that were once free to watch on regular TV.
This has fueled the argument that the league is slowly pricing out a part of its fanbase. Sports in general has seen its share of off-field controversies lately, including a story about a golfer arriving late to his PGA Championship tee time that drew widespread attention.
The NFL, however, does not see it that way. The league maintains that putting a limited number of games on streaming while keeping the vast majority on free broadcast networks is the right balance. With the media landscape shifting rapidly, the NFL argues that adapting to where audiences are going is the only way to stay relevant and continue delivering high-quality football to as many fans as possible.
Published: May 16, 2026 07:30 am