The NFL's push to move games onto Netflix and Amazon Prime doesn't appear to be very popular. In fact, President Donald Trump has now shared his thoughts on the move.
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"There's something very sad when they take football away from many, many people," Trump said during a recent appearance on 'Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson,' "It's tough. It's a tough [one]. You've got people that love football. They're great people. They don't make enough money to go and pay this."
The NFL has moved to place games on multiple streaming platforms, with games now airing on Netflix, Amazon, Peacock and even YouTube. As such, fans must have active subscriptions to each platform to avoid missing any of the action.
Those subscriptions pile up quickly. Each platform can begin at roughly $15 each, which produces a sizeable barrier of entry. After all, we're living in a time when the cost of everything is skyrocketing. Adding multiple streaming platforms to your monthly bills is not the most ideal situation.
"I don't like it. They're making a lot of money. They could make a little bit less," Trump continued. "They could let the people see. You have people who live for Sunday...They can't think about anything else, and then all of a sudden they're going to have to pay a thousand dollars a game. It's crazy. I'm not happy about it."
The NFL Isn't the Only League Following This New Model
By being the most popular sports league in America, the NFL's decision to split its offering has drawn widespread criticism. However, the NFL isn't the only league to take this approach in recent years.
The NBA is also spread across multiple platforms this season, further increasing the difficulty of consuming your favorite team's games throughout the year.
Furthermore, the WWE is now split, too. It hosts shows on Netflix, ESPN and the USA Network.
There's something to be said about the level of greed our favorite sports leagues are displaying. At some point, they have to start putting their fans first. Otherwise, what's the point in having all these streaming deals if no one is watching?
Hopefully, President Trump's comments will make these leagues sit up and take notice.
