President Donald Trump criticized the NFL’s media deal in an interview on “Full Measure” on Sunday, saying that the cost of watching the league could “ruin the game.” Trump’s comments come a month after reports surfaced that the Justice Department opened an investigation into the NFL over whether the league is engaging in anticompetitive tactics and overcharging customers.
Last year, NFL games were split between traditional networks and deals with streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, which has spurred criticism from fans over the challenge and cost of navigating so many platforms. In September, The Athletic calculated that watching major NFL games last season would cost more than $600.
“You’ve got people that love football, they’re great people, they don’t make enough money to go and pay this, it’s tough,” the president said.
Asked whether the government will step in, Trump said, “I don’t know, but I don’t like it.”
“They’re making a lot of money, they could make a little bit less and they could let the people see,” Trump continued.
After The Wall Street Journal first reported news of the DOJ investigation in April, the league defended its media agreements in a statement, highlighting that 87 percent of its games were broadcast on network television. Commissioner Roger Goodell reiterated the league’s position when asked about the DOJ investigation during an interview with ESPN before the NFL Draft in late April.
“It’s the most accessible game out there, and most accessible in any league,” Goodell said. “Over 87 percent of our games go on free television, every single one of our games, the two participating teams, it’s in their home market.
“We go to platforms that are new. We went to ESPN back in the 80s. That has been a great move for our fans and has developed new ways to engage with the NFL, but we’ve been surviving and thriving on the basis of being available to the broadest audience.”
Other politicians are also trying to take action on a scattered and costly sports TV landscape. In March, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights, submitted a letter requesting that the DOJ and Federal Trade Commission review antitrust exceptions given to the NFL. In April, Sen. Tammy Baldwin said she plans to introduce legislation aimed at decreasing TV costs and blackouts for sports fans.
The Athletic has reached out to the DOJ and NFL for comment and will update this story if either responds.
In Sunday’s interview with “Full Measure,” Trump also continued his criticism of the NFL’s new kickoff rule, added in 2024, which altered the kickoff formation as part of a safety effort aimed at reducing the risk for high-speed collisions.
“They have that stupid kickoff thing that you can’t watch, it’s unwatchable,” Trump said. “I hate the games where they, you know, they have the new phony kickoff, I don’t think it’s any safer, I hope college football doesn’t do it.”
An Athletic player poll published in January found that 72.7 percent of players surveyed said they liked the new rules, and NFL data from the 2024 season found that the new rules decreased player speeds and lowered concussion rates compared to 2021-23.