Photo credit: https://www.npr.org/2024/01/31/1226117501/best-streaming-service-netflix-amazon-prime-hulu-disney-max
So, the NFL Schedule for the 2025 season was just released, and now the options to watch games are virtually limitless.[1] Long gone are the days when you could predictably find your favorite team at 1pm or 4:25pm on Sunday on CBS or FOX, with the occasional primetime game on Sunday or Monday night on NBC or ESPN, respectively. Now, there are multiple streaming platforms that have exclusive rights to games, such as NBC’s Peacock, Paramount+, Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Prime, and Netflix.[2] Trying to figure out where, when and how to watch your favorite team is like solving a puzzle, according to U.S. Senator Ted Cruz.[3] This includes games on Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas, and other “non-traditional” football days.[4] On top of the confusion, it is becoming more expensive to watch your favorite NFL team because most of these streaming platforms are subscription based.[5]
While it may be frustrating for fans, it’s just business to the NFL.[6] The main goal of the NFL is to grow the game and reach as many fans as possible and meet them where they are, which in our digital age, means coming to streaming.[7] There is BIG money in these contracts, with the most recent one for the NFL reaching $111 billion over 11 years with all of the major television networks and streaming companies.[8] To make things even better for the NFL, many of these contracts have opt out provisions to allow the NFL to renegotiate and seek a better deal as viewership grows and the media rights become even more valuable to content providers.[9] With all of the opt out clauses in these contracts, we could see even more diversification by the NFL into new media platforms. This could make it even more expensive for consumers to watch all of the NFL their heart desires. To watch every game of the 2024 NFL season would have cost a fan ~$850, which is no small sum for simply watching at home on your couch.[10] It is conceivable that very soon it could cost well into the four-figure range to watch NFL football at home.[11] It will be interesting to see whether that is counterproductive to the NFL’s goal and ultimately drive consumers away.
[1] https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/article/nfl-schedule-release-how-to-watch-every-football-game-of-the-2025-nfl-season-203031963.html
[2] Id.
[3] https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/ted-cruz-grills-pro-sports-leagues-says-streaming-games-like-solving-a-puzzle
[4] https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/04/nfl-media-rights-media-landscape.html
[5] See supra note 3.
[6] https://www.sbnation.com/2025/5/14/24430017/nfl-games-will-stream-on-another-service-in-2025-youtube-netflix-peacock-amazon-prime
[7] Id.
[8] See supra note 4.
[9] Id.
[10] https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/sports/nfl/nfl-cost-breakdown-stream-every-game-2024/5429939/
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