While some analyze last weekend’s Peacock-exclusive NFL playoff game as a sign that we could one day see the Super Bowl only available on pay-per-view, Mike Francesa says don’t count on that anytime soon.
Listener Ryan emailed The Mike Francesa Podcast on Thursday, asking the legendary former WFAN host if that’s where he thought things were headed. NBC reported an audience of 23 million watched the Chiefs beat the Dolphins last Saturday night, the largest streaming audience of any kind in the U.S.
Francesa gave a pretty emphatic no.
“Ab-so-lute-ly not. It will never happen in – I don’t know how old you are, Ryan – it won’t happen in your lifetime, it won’t happen in my lifetime,” Francesa said. “It won’t happen in the unborn’s lifetime.”
“Congress will never allow championship games in America be played on pay TV. That will never happen,” he continued. “They will always be played on free TV, unless there isn’t free TV. That might change the dynamic, but I think we’re still a long, long way from that where there’s no free TV.”
Mike Francesa pivoted to the league, saying that as long as fans continue to buy in, they will continue to move more games to streaming.
“The NFL will continue in any way possible to grab every dollar and squeeze every dollar out of the best fanbase that any sport could ever dream of having,” he said. “They have a hundred million ardent fans. That is insanity. It’s beyond the realm of the league’s comprehension. And it is a golden goose that just keeps on giving.”
He finished his point by saying the NFL puts the fan last. It doesn’t matter how much money is too much.
“And they could care less about you, me or anybody else who is a fan of the sport,” Francesa said.
I already pay almost $250 for my cable, internet, and phone. No way I’m paying to watch NFL. I will stop altogether.
NFL treating their fans unfairly. Makes me very angry.
I have been a Pittsburgh Steelers fan for 57 years. I don’t pay to watch football nor will I ever. NFL must’ve bumped their heads. It’s not like they aren’t making billions now they want us to pay for them to sit in luxury boxes. Forgive me but I must throw the yellow flag on that. Goodbye Mr
Goodell.
NFL is greedy. It is a crime that they streamed the wild card games. Alfter all the money fans spend on games, food, parking, tickets, and gear, they deserve severe criticism for this newest action.
What they fail to mention,that was the LOWEST VIEWERSHIP of ALL the other wildcard weekend games! So, in other words, streaming limited the number of people that were able to watch one of the better games that weekend!