Congressional Concerns Over NFL Streaming Costs
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, addresses the growing concerns regarding the increasing costs of streaming NFL games. During a congressional hearing, he scrutinizes the NFL’s streaming practices in relation to rising expenses for fans. Jordan references the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act, raising antitrust issues as fans encounter exorbitant fees for accessing games across various platforms. He underscores the importance of ensuring affordable NFL content access for everyone, not just those able to purchase high-priced packages.
The Complexity of NFL Sunday Ticket
You may have recently received an email about renewing or adding NFL Sunday Ticket, YouTube’s exclusive package for watching out-of-market games. The cost is significant. Each year, the NFL reduces the package’s value by widening its national broadcast windows.
Sunday Ticket lacks nationally televised games and those available in local markets. Subscribers don’t get access to Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, or Monday Night Football. Moreover, it excludes the three or four games shown locally on Fox and CBS during the 1 p.m. and 4:25 p.m. ET time slots.
Fans in Michigan, for example, cannot view Lions games through Sunday Ticket because those games broadcast locally on Fox or CBS. The NFL’s television schedule complexity is unnecessary and increasing.
Changes Announced by Streaming Service EverPass Media
EverPass Media becomes the exclusive commercial option for NFL Sunday Ticket starting the 2026 season. In addition, Netflix will carry five games, including international and holiday matchups. The NFL plans several games on Wednesdays and Fridays this season, days it traditionally avoided.
Nine of the league’s 18 weeks will feature international games, mostly airing on NFL Network at 9:30 a.m. ET.
Impacts of New Broadcasting Deals
Each new national window sold by the NFL removes a game that might have been part of Sunday Ticket’s Sunday schedule. This results in fewer games available through the package, but at a higher cost.
The standard price for the 2026-27 season is listed at $480, though payments can be spread across eight monthly installments. Promotional discounts mean most users pay less. For instance, new users can sign up for $240 per year, and YouTube TV subscribers can purchase it for $234 annually.
Various discounts exist for teachers, military members, veterans, first responders, medical workers, and students. Despite these discounts, the package remains one of the priciest streaming services.
The Diminished Value of Sunday Ticket
Due to these scheduling changes, fewer noticeable matchups appear within the package. Fans require additional costly subscriptions, such as Amazon Prime, Peacock, and Netflix, to access every game.
Sunday Ticket is primarily appealing to fans residing outside their favorite team’s market. For example, fans of the Arizona Cardinals and other teams without primetime games might find Sunday Ticket necessary.
Conversely, teams like the Los Angeles Rams receive frequent primetime scheduling, reducing the need for such a package.
The increased focus on national broadcasts and less attractive Sunday Ticket options reveal a greedy league approach. Lowering the package price is a potential solution.