Understanding the NFL’s move to streaming on Prime, Peacock, and ESPN+

Football fans looking to catch the Monday night NFL game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Arizona Cardinals may find themselves reaching for their wallets. The matchup will be exclusively streamed on ESPN+, requiring a subscription for access. In contrast, the other Monday game featuring the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be broadcast on more traditional platforms like ABC, ESPN, and ESPN Deportes.

ESPN+ operates similarly to other subscription-based services like Peacock and Amazon Prime Video, with monthly or annual fees. The standard ESPN+ subscription costs $11.99 per month or $119.99 annually. Opting for a bundle with Disney+ and Hulu with ads increases the monthly cost to $14.99. Currently, there are no free trial offers available for ESPN+, as reported by Sporting News.

For sports enthusiasts, ESPN+ plays a significant role in the media landscape, featuring various sports events behind its paywall. Hockey fans can catch many NHL games on ESPN+, along with several college football matchups each weekend. Notably, Caitlin Clark’s first WNBA game was exclusively streamed on ESPN+, according to The Washington Post. Despite being part of the ABC/ESPN family, live broadcasts from ESPN and ABC are typically not accessible on ESPN+.

The NFL has increasingly turned to streaming services for exclusive broadcast rights in recent seasons. Amazon Prime Video, for example, hosts nearly all Thursday night NFL games. Peacock was the sole platform for a playoff game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins last season, as well as the Week 1 matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles this year. Netflix secured exclusive rights to two NFL games on Christmas Day in 2024, as reported by The Athletic.

The NFL’s transition to streaming services has sparked controversy, drawing criticism from players and fans alike. Some NFL players expressed concerns over the league’s exclusive streaming deals. Despite the pushback, NFL executives have defended the shift, emphasizing the need to adapt to evolving media consumption habits to engage with fans effectively. Hans Schroeder, NFL’s executive vice president of media distribution, highlighted the success of streaming distribution in reaching fans through platforms like Prime Video and Peacock, underscoring the league’s commitment to connecting with audiences in new ways.