The NFL defended its broadcasting strategy on Friday amid sharp criticism from President Donald Trump and a Justice Department review of its media deals.
Executive Vice President of Media Distribution Hans Schroeder emphasized the league’s commitment to its current model, describing it as the most fan-friendly in sports and entertainment.
“We love our model,” he said, via ESPN. “We think we have the most fan-friendly model there is of any sport or entertainment as far as distribution.”
Schroeder noted that 87% of games remain on free broadcast networks like FOX, CBS, NBC, and ABC, while a limited number appear on streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video to reach cord-cutting audiences where they consume content.
“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 broadcasts 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.
“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.”
NFL Executive Vice President Jeff Miller reinforced that the league prioritizes accessibility for fans through traditional television alongside evolving platforms.
Trump had earlier condemned the expansion to streaming services, calling it a form of “price gouging” that burdens average fans who must subscribe to multiple platforms to watch all games. He expressed concern that rising costs exclude loyal viewers.
The comments align with a reported DOJ antitrust probe examining whether the league’s deals, protected under the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act, harm competition and consumers.
Despite the scrutiny, the NFL shows no plans to scale back its streaming partnerships as it navigates the changing media landscape
