Donald Trump is speaking out against the NFL’s growing push toward streaming platforms. As more games move to services like Netflix, Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube, Trump argued that football is becoming harder for regular viewers to access. His remarks came during an interview on Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson. There, he said, fans are being forced to spend more money just to follow the sport. The comments came just days after he faced backlash for saying he does not focus on Americans’ financial struggles while addressing tensions with Iran.
Trump bashes NFL’s pricey switch to streaming
Donald Trump criticized the league’s growing list of exclusive streaming deals. He warned that too many paywalls could eventually hurt the NFL’s connection with everyday viewers. “It’s tough,” he said. “You’ve got people that love football. They’re great people. They don’t make enough money to go and pay this. It’s tough.”
The NFL has steadily expanded into streaming over the last few seasons. Amazon secured exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football through a billion-dollar agreement. The Peacock carried an exclusive playoff game last year. Meanwhile, Netflix recently signed a deal for Christmas Day matchups. YouTube also took over NFL Sunday Ticket after a reported $14 billion agreement.
As a result, many fans now need multiple subscriptions alongside cable packages to watch every major game during the season. Trump also suggested the league should be careful not to move too far away from traditional television.
“They have to be careful because, you know, others have tried this, and all of a sudden you don’t have a sport anymore,” he said. The NFL’s broadcast deals have long been protected under the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act.
This allowed leagues to negotiate national television contracts while keeping games widely available. But the rise of streaming exclusives has triggered fresh debate over access and affordability. “There’s something very sad when they take football away from many, many people,” Trump said. “Very sad. I don’t like it.”
Originally reported by Shreya Jha for Reality Tea
