If you've been sweating the thought of needing five different streaming subscriptions just to watch your favorite NFL team on Sunday, take a deep breath. The league isn't going all-in on digital platforms any time soon — at least not until someone waves an absolutely ridiculous check in front of Roger Goodell.
The NFL has been on a media spending spree lately, inking deals with Netflix, Peacock, Amazon Prime, and YouTube TV. That's led to plenty of fans feeling overwhelmed by the growing streaming maze and wondering if traditional TV is about to go the way of the dinosaur. But according to media reporter Peter Kafka, who appeared on John Ourand's The Varsity podcast, the league isn't ready to cut the cord completely.
The Price Tag Is Too Steep
Kafka argues that a full pivot to streaming would be astronomically expensive — not just for fans, but for the streaming platforms themselves. To pry the NFL away from its lucrative broadcast partnerships with ABC/ESPN, FOX, NBC, and CBS, a tech giant like Apple or Netflix would have to offer a number that makes even the league's current billion-dollar deals look like pocket change.
“I still think they would be uneasy about that from just a pure commercial reach, and I think politically it is too much of a tripwire for them to touch,” Kafka said. “What would have to happen is an Apple or a Netflix would have to offer an astronomical number for them to make it worth their while to get into what surely would be a political fight.”
That political fight is real. Lawmakers and regulators have already started poking around the streaming space. FCC commissioners have voiced support for fans frustrated by the current streaming chaos, and new bills are being drafted to keep big games accessible on traditional TV.
Why Cable Still Wins
For all the hype around streaming, linear TV still delivers the kind of massive, simultaneous audience that advertisers crave. The NFL's broadcast partners pay a premium for that reach, and the league isn't about to walk away from that cash cow. Even with streaming growing, the NFL's core business model remains built around network television.
That doesn't mean nothing will change. The league will keep sprinkling in streaming-only games — like the Christmas Day doubleheader on Netflix — and testing new platforms. But a full-on migration? Not happening unless something dramatic shifts the financial landscape.
Meanwhile, the NFL's streaming experiments have sparked plenty of criticism from high-profile figures, including former President Donald Trump, who argued the league could afford to make a little less money by keeping games on free TV. That sentiment echoes what many fans feel: that football should remain a communal, accessible experience, not a premium product locked behind a paywall.
The Bottom Line
So, NFL fans, you can keep your cable subscription a little longer. The league is happy to take streaming money on the side, but it's not about to abandon the TV partners that made it America's most-watched sport. Unless a tech company shows up with a truly absurd offer, the Super Bowl isn't going to live exclusively on a streaming service anytime soon.
For now, the NFL's media strategy is simple: keep collecting checks from everyone, and don't rock the boat. That's good news for anyone who'd rather not navigate a half-dozen apps just to watch their team play.
