Donald Trump Slams NFL's Shift to Streaming as Fans 'Don't Make Enough Money' for Pricey Subscriptions: 'I Don't Like It'

President Donald Trump is weighing in on one of the biggest shifts in sports media, and he’s not a fan.

As the NFL continues moving games onto streaming platforms like Amazon, Netflix, YouTube, and Peacock, Trump is publicly criticizing the cost burden on viewers, suggesting the league risks pushing fans too far.

During an appearance on Full Measure with Sheryl Attkisson, Trump didn’t mince words about the league’s evolving business model.

“It’s tough,” he said. “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.”

He added a warning for the league: “They have to be careful because, you know, others have tried this, and all of a sudden you don’t have a sport anymore.”

Trump’s central argument is simple: football, long considered one of the most accessible and widely watched sports in America, is becoming harder to watch as more games move behind paywalls.

“There’s something very sad when they take football away from many, many people,” he said. “Very sad. I don’t like it.”

While Trump suggested fans could end up paying “$1,000 a game,” the reality is closer to that figure across a full season, once multiple subscriptions and traditional TV packages are factored in.

Still, the broader point resonates: watching every NFL game now often requires juggling several paid services, a major shift from the league’s long-standing reliance on free, over-the-air broadcasts.

The NFL’s massive media deals — secured under its antitrust exemption through the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act — have historically ensured wide access while generating billions in revenue. But that framework was built for traditional television, not today’s fragmented streaming landscape.

Trump stopped short of committing to intervention but made clear the issue is on his radar.

“I don’t know,” he said when asked whether the government might act. “But I don’t like it. I don’t like it. They’re making a lot of money. They could make a little bit less. They could let the people see.”

His comments come as the NFL faces increasing scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department over whether its current model, particularly its use of streaming platforms, fits within the bounds of its antitrust exemption.

At the heart of the issue is whether bundling premium streaming access with exclusive games could violate rules originally intended to ensure broad public access to broadcasts.

Trump’s criticism frames the issue less as a business strategy and more as a cultural loss.

“You have people that live for Sunday,” he said. “They live — they can’t think about anything else… and then all of a sudden, they’re gonna have to pay… It’s crazy.”