Roger Goodell defends NFL streaming expansion

In an age when the NFL continues to do anything to make a buck, the league’s commissioner doesn’t seem to have any issue with asking the league’s consumers to shell out more money than they ever have before. Not only is it expensive to go to NFL games, but if you want to watch every single game, you’re going to have to give up an extra arm and leg.

Games for the 2024 NFL season will be streamed on Prime Video, Netflix, Peacock, and ESPN+—four streaming services before we even get into the NFL Sunday Ticket package and NFL RedZone. On that same note, the NFL faced a class-action lawsuit over price-gouging on its Sunday Ticket product, forcing commissioner Roger Goodell to testify in defense of the league’s broadcast business practices.

In an interview with Pat McAfee on Wednesday, Goodell defended the league’s broadcast policies , claiming they are as fan-friendly as possible. Then, on CNBC, he echoed those same sentiments and talked about the league’s push to multiple streaming platforms.

“The bottom line is, you have to go where your fans are, and our fans are moving off onto streaming platforms,” Goodell said. “Netflix is a good example of that. Peacock is a good example of that. Amazon is a good example of that. Our fans are on different platforms, and we need to reach them. But at the same time, over 85 percent of our games are still available on free television. We think we have the most fan-friendly policies for our friends and the media world of any league by far; 100 percent of our games for the two teams participating.

“We really think that those policies are really beneficial to our growth, to our supporting more people watching NFL football and the fans enjoyment of it. But streaming also brings in technologies that I think are going to be really valuable to improve the experience for consumers. I think there’s more things that they can do with their platforms and technology that I think is very, very positive with our fans.”

The NFL’s aggressive push into streaming, while designed to expand its reach and revenue, raises concerns about the long-term implications for fans. And while Goodell might position it as being fan-friendly, he also fails to mention the billions of dollars the league is receiving in awarding games to streaming companies.

YouTube TV : $2 billion annually for Sunday Ticket
Amazon : $1 billion annually for Thursday Night Football, $120 million for playoff game, and $100 million for Black Friday game.
Netflix : $150 million for two Christmas Day games
Peacock : $110 million for playoff game last year

While the league—and Goodell—argue that its broadcast policies are fan-friendly, the increasing cost of accessing all NFL games through multiple streaming platforms could alienate some viewers. As the cord-cutting trend continues, the NFL faces a delicate balance between maximizing its profits and ensuring its product remains accessible to a wide audience.

Ultimately, the success of the league’s streaming strategy will depend on its ability to provide a compelling viewing experience while maintaining a reasonable cost of entry for fans. If the NFL fails to strike this balance, it risks eroding its fan base and jeopardizing its future growth.

The post Roger Goodell defends NFL streaming push in pursuit of fans, forgets billions in additional revenue appeared first on Awful Announcing .