President Donald Trump expressed his concerns over the streaming costs of the National Football League (NFL), amid ongoing antitrust probes by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Justice Department.
During the Sinclair Group’s Full Measure interview broadcast on Sunday, reporter Sharyl Attkisson asked the President whether the NFL was “price gouging” and if the administration planned to take action. Trump voiced his dissatisfaction, warning that the league’s business model could be jeopardized if it loses its antitrust exemption.
Trump said rising costs are making football less affordable for fans, warning that the NFL could be “killing the golden goose” by pricing out loyal supporters.
Trump hinted at the possibility of his administration intervening, though he did not provide any specific details. He expressed his unhappiness by stating, “I don’t like it.”
“They’re making a lot of money. They could make a little bit less … You’ve got people that live for Sunday. They live, they can’t think about anything else, and then all of a sudden they’re going to have to pay $1,000 a game?” he added.
The President also questioned the safety of the NFL’s new “dynamic kickoff,” a feature the league claims has helped reduce head injuries during games. He expressed hope that this feature would not be adopted by college football.
DOJ Probes NFL Media Rights Deals
While it’s not clear how Trump arrived at the $1,000 figure, the growing cost of multiple streaming subscriptions, along with cable or satellite packages needed to watch a full NFL season, has fueled concerns among fans. Critics argue the issue is tied to the league’s government-backed limited antitrust exemption under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, signed by former President John F. Kennedy, which allows the league to negotiate lucrative broadcast deals collectively.
The NFL is currently facing an investigation by the DOJ over potential anticompetitive tactics related to media rights. This probe is focused on the league’s “affordability for consumers and creating an even playing field for providers.”
The investigation comes as the league explores early renegotiation of media rights deals and considers a larger game package with Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX). In response to the probe, the league said its media distribution model is highly fan- and broadcaster-friendly, noting that more than 87% of NFL games air on free broadcast television.
NFL is renegotiating parts of its 11-year, $111 billion media rights agreements with partners including CBS, NBC, Fox Corporation, Walt Disney Corp.‘s (NYSE:DIS) ESPN, and Amazon.com‘s (NASDAQ:AMZN) Prime Video. The updated deals are expected to boost league revenue and remove an opt-out clause after the 2029-30 season, extending the partnerships. The NFL has already started renewal talks with Paramount Skydance‘s (NASDAQ:PSKY) CBS, which currently pays about $2.1 billion annually for Sunday games and could pay more than $3 billion under a new agreement.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
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