Donald Trump has unleashed a fierce critique of the NFL, accusing the organization of potentially “killing the golden goose” as the Justice Department delves into an ongoing investigation.
In a Sunday interview on Full Measure, the former President chose to break his silence regarding the federal inquiry into the league’s media rights and its pivot towards costly platforms.
This investigation comes on the heels of the NFL’s transition to subscription-based streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Peacock, which have disrupted the traditional viewing habits of countless fans.
“It’s tough. You’ve got people that love football. They don’t make enough money to go and pay for this,” Trump expressed to Sharyl Attkisson during the Sunday morning interview.
He further commented, “And they [the NFL] could be killing the golden goose,” highlighting the potential risks of their strategy.
Trump cautioned the league’s executives to be wary of their new approach, emphasizing, “Others have tried this, and all of a sudden you don’t have a sport anymore.”
Donald Trump has launched a blistering attack on the NFL, claim the league is ‘killing the golden goose’ amid the Justice Department’s ongoing investigation
The DOJ opened an investigation into whether the NFL has engaged in anticompetitive tactics that harm consumers last month
‘There’s something very sad when they take football away from many, many people. Very sad. I don’t like it,’ the President added.
Trump questioned why the league is squeezing fans, noting: ‘They’re making a lot of money. They could make a little bit less. They could let the people see.’
He highlighted the plight of dedicated fans, saying: ‘You have people that live for Sunday. They can’t think about anything else,’ before slamming costs.
‘And then all of a sudden, they’re gonna have to pay $1,000 a game. It’s crazy. So, I’m not happy about it,’ Trump said of the rising subscription fees.
Fans not currently facing $1,000 prices for a game, however, it’s been reported that last season, some fans spent almost $1,000 on cable and streaming subscriptions.
Trump also took a swipe at the NFL’s new ‘dynamic kickoff’ rule, which he described as ‘unwatchable’ and a departure from the sport’s physical, violent history.
‘I hate the games where they have the new phony kickoff,’ Trump said, arguing the safety-focused rule change has stripped the game of its essential pageantry.
The Department of Justice investigation is reportedly focused on whether the league’s complex broadcasting deals constitute anti-competitive behavior.
Federal investigators are looking into whether splitting games across numerous apps unfairly increases costs for those who once watched for free on broadcast TV.
As well as traditional TV networks, Netflix and Amazon Prime now hold rights to NFL games
ESPN struck a deal with the NFL to acquire NFL Network, RedZone rights and three more games
A spokesman for the NFL, which is led by Roger Goodell, said its media distribution model ‘is the most fan and broadcaster-friendly in the entire sports and entertainment industry’
The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 allowed anti-trust exemptions that gave leagues like the NFL the chance to bundle their broadcasting rights together so they could agree on mega-money TV rights contracts with national networks.
But in recent years, the NFL’s rights holders have evolved to include subscription-based streaming services.
The emergence of those has led to concerns from fans about how much it costs to be able to watch their favorite teams across a dizzying number of platforms.
In the upcoming 2026 season, games will be broadcast on CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, Amazon Prime, Fox One, Paramount+, Peacock, Netflix and YouTube.
‘To watch every NFL game during the past season, football fans spent almost $1,000 on cable and streaming subscriptions,’ Republican Sen. Mike Lee wrote in a letter last month to the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, the NFL said: ‘The NFL’s media distribution model is the most fan and broadcaster-friendly in the entire sports and entertainment industry.
‘With over 87 percent of our games on free, broadcast television, including 100 percent of games in the markets of the competing teams, the NFL has for decades put our fans front and center in how we distribute our content.
‘The 2025 season was our most viewed since 1989 and reflects the strength of the NFL distribution model and its wide availability to all fans.’
It comes just months after ESPN struck a deal with the NFL to acquire NFL Network, rights for RedZone and three more games every season.
