The NFL is swatting away President Donald Trump’s criticism of its evolving business model.
The league pushed back Friday against criticism over its growing dependence on streaming platforms, responding to comments from Trump and ongoing scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice.
“We love our model,” NFL executive vice president of media distribution Hans Schroeder said Friday, according to ESPN. “We think we have the most fan-friendly model there is of any sport or entertainment as far as distribution.”
The issue has become a larger national conversation as more NFL games move away from traditional television and onto subscription services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock and YouTube.
Other leagues, like the NBA and MLB, have also been signing deals with streaming services, with the latter extending out to Apple TV.
Critics have argued that the changes are making it increasingly expensive and complicated for fans to follow the league.
Trump recently weighed in on the debate, accusing the NFL of placing too many games behind paywalls and forcing viewers to subscribe to multiple services just to watch their favorite teams. He accused the league of “price gouging” fans.
“There’s something very sad when they take football away from many, many people,” Trump recently said during an interview on “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson.”
His remarks came as federal regulators continue examining whether the league’s media agreements raise antitrust concerns.
The NFL continues to partner with digital companies as cable subscriptions decline across the United States.
Amazon carries exclusive “Thursday Night Football” broadcasts, while Netflix recently entered the NFL space with special broadcasts of games, including two on Christmas.
The DOJ is reportedly reviewing whether the NFL’s broadcasting structure unfairly limits competition or creates unnecessary costs for consumers.
Despite the criticism, the NFL does not appear willing to reverse course for the time being.
