The NFL is making it clear: it's not backing down from its streaming partnerships. Despite growing frustration from fans and even a pointed remark from President Donald Trump, the league is standing by its 2026 broadcasting plan.
Hans Schroeder, the NFL's executive vice president of media distribution, took to ESPN on Friday to defend the league's approach. 'We love our model,' Schroeder said. 'We think we have the most fan-friendly model there is of any sport or entertainment as far as distribution.'
The pushback comes as the NFL continues to shift an increasing number of games to streaming services like Netflix, Peacock, and Amazon Prime. While the vast majority of games—nearly 90%, according to the league—still air on traditional broadcast networks like NBC, FOX, and CBS, the trend has left some fans scrambling to figure out where to watch their favorite teams each week.
'We think broadcast [networks] have been an incredible home,' Schroeder added. 'And, now, we also know fans are increasingly spending their time on other platforms as well. They tune into broadcast 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.'
The league's stance has drawn criticism from various corners, including a recent call from U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin for free access to holiday games. But Schroeder remains unfazed, pointing to the massive adoption of platforms like Netflix as a reason for the shift. '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,' he said.
This isn't the first time the NFL's schedule decisions have sparked controversy. Earlier this year, Colin Cowherd claimed the NFL quietly punished the Broncos with a brutal early schedule, while Titans fans cried foul over the league's 2026 schedule snub of Cam Ward. And just last week, Senator Baldwin blasted the NFL over its 2026 holiday schedule, demanding free access for fans.
For now, the league is betting that its streaming strategy will pay off, even as some fans feel left behind. Schroeder's message is clear: the NFL is committed to meeting fans where they are, even if that means navigating a growing maze of platforms.
