Lawmakers Question Rising NFL Streaming Costs for Fans

Representative Jim Jordan from Ohio addressed a congressional hearing focusing on the NFL’s streaming practices and increasing costs for fans. Jordan highlighted concerns regarding the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act and antitrust issues as fans encounter high prices to access all games on different platforms. He emphasized the necessity for affordable access to NFL content for all citizens, regardless of their ability to afford expensive packages.

In recent weeks, many may have received notifications about renewing or adding the NFL Sunday Ticket, which is YouTube’s exclusive package for out-of-market NFL games. The price is high. Annually, the NFL decreases the package’s value by expanding its national broadcast windows.

Explaining the Package Details

The Sunday Ticket excludes nationally televised games or games available in your local market. Subscribers do not receive Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, or Monday Night Football. It does not cover games accessible locally on networks like Fox and CBS during popular time slots. For example, fans in Michigan cannot watch Lions games via the Sunday Ticket as those air locally.

Streaming service EverPass Media will become the exclusive commercial option for NFL Sunday Ticket starting with the 2026 season. This change impacts bars and restaurants, as some associations urge Congress to act to mitigate revenue threats.

Additional Streaming Options

Netflix will broadcast five games this season, including unique events like the 49ers-Rams game from Australia and the first Thanksgiving Eve game between the Packers and Rams. There will also be games on Christmas Day and an unannounced Saturday game. Additionally, the NFL will play six games on usually avoided days like Wednesdays and Fridays, with legal restrictions previously limiting these schedules.

The Growing Complexity of NFL Streaming

The NFL has scheduled international games on NFL Network, airing at 9:30 a.m. ET for half of the season’s weeks. Each time the NFL sells a new national window, games formerly part of the Sunday schedule are removed. This results in fewer games on Sunday Ticket, yet at a higher cost.

YouTube lists the standard price for the 2026-27 Sunday Ticket as $480. Subscribers may pay in eight monthly installments but must eventually cover the total. Flexible monthly subscriptions are not available. Despite varying prices for different groups and circumstances, the cost remains high for a four-month service.

For comprehensive access to all games, NFL fans require subscriptions to YouTube TV for the Sunday Ticket along with other services like Amazon Prime, Peacock, and Netflix. This results in significant expenses.

The Influence of Team Schedules

Fans outside their team’s local market might find Sunday Ticket tempting. However, it depends on the team’s broadcast schedule. Teams like the Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins, and Raiders, with no traditional primetime games scheduled, rely on Sunday Ticket for fans living out of state. Teams with numerous primetime games, such as the Rams, Chiefs, Bills, Seahawks, Cowboys, and Packers, will often be featured prominently.

As the NFL continues to expand national broadcast windows, the value of Sunday Ticket diminishes, potentially lowering demand unless prices decrease.

Bobby Burack writes for OutKick.