- NBC reportedly paid $110 million to put the game exclusively on Peacock
- Since 1961, the NFL has benefited from Congress’s antitrust exemption
- READ MORE: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have an icy reunion in Kansas City
The NFL and NBC are deceiving football fans by putting Saturday’s Kansas City Chiefs-Miami Dolphins playoff game on a subscription streaming service, according to a open letter from Democrat Congressman Pat Ryan of New York.
“It is a shame,” Ryan wrote in the letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NBC Sports President Rick Cordella. “Fans are already facing exorbitant prices to watch every game during the regular season; they don’t deserve to be further pressured by greedy corporations.
“This bait-and-switch is especially egregious for consumers who already pay for NBC as part of their cable package. Because Peacock is a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, this exclusive deal essentially pays loyal fans double for watching games they thought they had already paid for.”
NBC reportedly paid $110 million to release the game exclusively on Peacock, which typically charges $6 a month for a subscription but is now offering a one-year deal for $30 ahead of the Chiefs-Dolphins game.
Despite the cut, Ryan remained furious about the apparent money grab from the NFL and NBC.
Goodell (pictured) sold the exclusive rights to the Wild Card game for a reported $110 million
Congressman Pat Ryan (left) excoriated NBC Sports president Rick Cordella (right) in the letter
The Chiefs and Dolphins already played once on cable earlier this season, in November
“Enough is enough,” Ryan wrote. “The NFL raked in $12 billion in 2022, while NBCUniversal made nearly $40 billion. It’s time we put the power back where it belongs: to the fans.
“The NFL and NBC need to fix this. I urge you to offer the game on television, end the exclusive and exploitative streaming deals for good, and commit to making games more affordable and accessible for fans to watch throughout the season.”
Since 1961, the NFL has taken advantage of Congress’ antitrust exemption regarding the leagues’ broadcast deals, creating the economic landscape that has allowed sports properties to make ever-larger media rights deals.
“Congress granted the NFL an antitrust exemption in its broadcast agreements on the expectation that you wouldn’t use it to screw fans,” Ryan wrote. “That was clearly a mistake.”
