Roger Goodell Blatantly Lied To NFL Fans And Got Immediately Fact-Checked
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Roger Goodell and other NFL executives are facing enough criticism because more games are moving to streaming platforms. Fans now need services like Netflix, Peacock, YouTube TV, and Amazon Prime Video to watch some games. Many people feel the NFL is making football more expensive and harder to watch.
The issue reached the political stage when Donald Trump publicly criticized the NFL’s streaming plans. Trump said many Americans build their weekends around football and should not have to spend a lot of money just to watch games.
“They’re making a lot of money. They could make a little bit less,” Trump said. “You have people that live for Sunday… and then all of a sudden, they’re gonna have to pay $1,000 a game. It’s crazy. So, I’m not happy about it.”
The NFL later defended its decision. League officials said that 87 percent of NFL games are still available for free on regular TV channels. They used that number to answer growing complaints from fans and politicians.
Mike Florio Calls Out NFL’s “87 Percent” Claim
NFL insider Mike Florio did not buy the argument. During a recent episode of PFT Live, Florio pushed back hard against the league’s message and accused the NFL of spinning the numbers.
“This talking point that has been making the rounds now and is starting to stick with some people in the media who aren’t thinking critically, 87% of the games are available on free TV,” Florio said. “That’s become the basically, ‘Leave us alone.’”
Florio explained that the statistic leaves out a major detail. Fans cannot actually watch anywhere close to 87 percent of the games without paying for extra services.
“So they’re on free TV, yeah, but you ain’t getting 87% of them,” Florio said. “Nobody’s getting 87% of the games for free.”
He pointed out that many NFL games on Sundays happen at the same time. Because of that, local TV channels only show a few games depending on the area. Fans who want to watch more games often have to pay for costly services like Sunday Ticket or subscribe to several streaming platforms.
Even with the complaints, the NFL keeps making deals with streaming companies. More games are now available on Netflix, Peacock, YouTube TV, and Amazon Prime Video. Many fans are now worried they may soon need multiple monthly subscriptions just to follow the NFL season.
