If you’re a rabid fan of NFL football and want access to every game this season, it’s going to cost a pretty penny.
Ben Axelrod over at Awful Announcing did the math. With various games throughout the season being spread out across multiple streaming services, it means consumers are going to have to dish out some cash just to be able to access some primetime games on the NFL schedule.
Netflix just announced two games on Christmas Day. ESPN+ gets itself an exclusive Monday Night Game. Peacock, YouTube TV, and Amazon Prime are all in the fray.
Toss in some form of basic cable subscription necessary for a bevy of regular season and playoff games, along with a subscription to a Sunday Ticket package for out-of-market games, and you can just feel your wallet wailing in pain.
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What’s The Cost To Access Every NFL Game?
You have to hand it to Axelrod here. Not simply for doing the research, but in providing the most optimistic cost for fans to access every NFL game in the 2024 season.
He only counts subscriptions for months that are necessary – Peacock, for example, to access the season-opener between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers.
And he’s generous in choosing the least expensive plans. Netflix for example, goes with the $6.99/month plan. I have Netflix. They’ve been raising their rates repeatedly over the past couple of years. Many people choose the ‘no ads’ version and most people watch sporting events on several devices. Citing Netflix at $6.99 is super, super kind.
With that as a backdrop, how much will it cost you, the fan, to have access to every NFL game this season? If you have a weak stomach or are the least bit squeamish, we recommend looking away.
Here is the breakdown:
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Get Ready To Pony Up, Guys And Gals
And that right there is why I stick to score surfing on the phone for games I might not have access to. $856? That’s like, two tanks of gas at least, right?
The National Football League generated a total revenue of approximately $18.6 billion in 2022.
$18.6 billion.
But for some reason, they feel the need to squeeze out an extra $6.99 from fans of the two games on Netflix – The Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the Houston Texans will host the Baltimore Ravens – this Christmas.
In your best Hans Gruber voice everybody, say it with me: Ho … Ho … Ho.
Will it all backfire? No. Of course not.
Fans were outraged this past season when the NFL put exclusive games on Peacock. They shook their fists with rage. They cracked their knuckles and typed up strongly worded messages on X.
And the NFL responded by giving Peacock the season-opening game. Why? Because Roger Goodell knows that no matter how angry we get, we’re still going to pay for our NFL fix.
To the tune of $855.86.