NFL defends 2026 broadcast plan amid criticism over schedule

The NFL defended its 2026 broadcast lineup on Friday, May 15, after the league’s full regular-season schedule released a day earlier prompted criticism from fans, broadcasters and federal officials over the number of games on streaming services. Hans Schroeder, the league’s executive vice president of media distribution, said on a conference call with reporters that the NFL has “the most fan-friendly model there is” and said most games still sit on broadcast television. The pushback came as Netflix, Peacock and Amazon Prime Video took prominent windows on the 2026 slate, including games tied to opening week, Thanksgiving week and late-season weekends. The schedule itself was released Thursday, May 14, with the league announcing an 18-week, 272-game regular season. ### How did the league answer the criticism? Hans Schroeder told reporters Friday that “we love our model” and said the NFL believes it has “the most fan-friendly model there is of any sport or entertainment as far as distribution.” He said 100% of NFL games are available over the air in the participating teams’ home markets and 87% of the schedule is distributed primarily through broadcast television. (sports.yahoo.com) Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president overseeing communications, public affairs and policy, also addressed the criticism on the same call, according to Deadline. Miller said the league had tracked comments from broadcasters and officials in Washington as questions about streaming access grew louder. ### Which platforms are at the center of the dispute? (deadline.com) Netflix expanded its NFL package this week by adding three regular-season windows to its existing Christmas inventory under an extension that runs through the 2029-30 season. The company said its 2026 lineup will include the Sept. 10 Rams-49ers game from Melbourne, Australia, a Thanksgiving Eve game on Nov. 25, one Christmas Day game and a Week 18 game on Jan. 9, along with NFL Honors during Super Bowl week. (deadline.com) Amazon Prime Video remains the home of Thursday Night Football, while Peacock is set to carry exclusive inventory again in 2026. NBC Sports said it acquired an extra Week 17 regular-season game for Jan. 2, 2027, with that telecast airing on NBC and streaming on Peacock before Peacock’s exclusive primetime game that night. (netflix.com) ### What exactly did the 2026 schedule put on streaming? The NFL said the 2026 season opens Wednesday, Sept. 9, with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks hosting the New England Patriots on NBC. The next night, Sept. 10, Netflix will carry the Rams-49ers game from Melbourne Cricket Ground, the first regular-season NFL game played in Australia. (nbcuniversal.com) Week 12 will include the first Thanksgiving Eve game, with Green Bay visiting the Rams on Netflix on Nov. 25, according to NFL.com. Netflix also remains part of the Christmas schedule, and the service will carry a Week 18 game on Saturday, Jan. 9, as the playoff race closes. ### Who else has been criticizing the arrangement? President Donald Trump criticized the cost of following the full NFL schedule across multiple services, according to Yahoo Sports and Deadline. (media.nfl.com) Deadline also reported that the National Association of Broadcasters argued in an FCC filing that major streaming companies are locking live sports behind paywalls and creating a more expensive and confusing experience for viewers. (nfl.com) The FCC and the U.S. Department of Justice have launched probes related to the league’s dealings with broadcasters, Deadline reported. Bloomberg separately reported that the NFL defended its expanded Netflix relationship while facing federal scrutiny over the amount of games on streaming platforms. ### Is the NFL still leaning on broadcast television? (sports.yahoo.com) The NFL’s own schedule release shows NBC, CBS and Fox still hold the largest weekly windows, with NBC carrying Sunday Night Football through Weeks 1-17 and Thanksgiving night. Associated Press reporting cited by local outlets said 236 games will air on CBS, Fox, NBC or ABC, matching last season’s 87% broadcast share. (deadline.com) Fox and NBC also added inventory before the full schedule release. Fox Chief Executive Lachlan Murdoch said on an earnings call that the network had acquired rights to two additional regular-season games, while NBC said it picked up an extra Week 17 game. The NFL’s next major dates are already set in the schedule. (media.nfl.com) The season begins Sept. 9 in Seattle on NBC, Netflix carries the Australia game on Sept. 10, and Week 18 closes Jan. 9-10, 2027, with the final regular-season windows spread across Saturday and Sunday. (bloomberg.com)