The NFL made a massive decision on a future Playoff broadcast this coming season, and fans are irate.
The Peacock streaming service will air the Saturday night NFL Wild Card Game in January 2024. According to The Wall Street Journal, NBC Universal and the NFL came together for a one-year deal worth $110 million to broadcast the playoff game on the streaming service.
Peacock will exclusively air an NFL Wild Card game in January https://t.co/lxlDvPSDKw pic.twitter.com/Ls71Ye76P0
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 15, 2023
It was previously indicated that this would happen, but one had to guess what they meant by that. This was the likeliest conclusion, and the good news for fans is that the people in the area of their teams will be able to watch on their local NBC affiliate.
The bad news? Everybody else is teed off about it. Fans ripped the decision after it was announced and are angry over it.
https://twitter.com/JV__19/status/1658214795504648192
Exclusively airing a PLAYOFF GAME is so dumb https://t.co/rVYMHPD0Hf
— Nicole Pinter (Greg Dortch fan club President) (@nicole_pinter6) May 15, 2023
Streaming services getting into sports is about to be terrible for consumers https://t.co/np8pQ3p8oJ
— damn that’s crazy (@LosTheIVth) May 15, 2023
Are sports leagues doing everything in their power to alienate fan bases? What are we doing here? https://t.co/ujNkMorZbN
— Seth Kaplan 📺 (@Seth_Kaplan) May 15, 2023
ARE YOU ACTUALLY KIDDING ME?! NBC is basically airing half of Wild Card Weekend. Streaming services is not OK with me regarding playoffs.
I strongly disagree with this. Why not give this game to FOX or something?
I think the NFL is basically going too far with the streaming. https://t.co/mQk2pJHd7F
— Tamir Moore (@TheTamirMoore) May 15, 2023
Hmmm this is going to make pirating content make a huge comeback.
Just beyond stupid. https://t.co/LsMXH5S0Ib
— Matt Horner (@Sharp_Side_) May 15, 2023
Welp, this stinks. Sports fans will have to subscribe to EVERY streamer to get what we used to have on cable (or sat). https://t.co/ZlJFXU4sZP
— Scott Faldon (@ScottFaldon) May 15, 2023
It makes sense that people would be upset over this. No matter how much streaming takes over, there are a lot of people who are significantly more used to turning their TVs on and going to their local stations for the NFL.
But the NFL has a point and an argument for it as well. The league’s consumers will basically follow them anywhere at any time. This is reflected in viewership every single year, no matter a game, studio show, or anything of the like. No matter the time of day either, fans will tune into the NFL.
They are banking that many will turn on Peacock and tune in. Chances are, they will probably be right, all irritants aside.
