Sports
NFL fans call the league’s streaming strategy a ‘money grab’ as costs spiral out of control
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Football fans are airing their frustrations about the continuing rise in the costs of watching the NFL.
As the league has continued to strike new media deals with different streaming services, fans are left scrambling to figure out not only which channel or streaming service the game is on, but also whether they subscribe to that service. OutKick’s Davey Hudson took to the streets of Nashville and New York City to talk to aggrieved football fans.
“I think it’s frustrating when you just want to watch a game, and you have to figure out what app it’s on. And then you’re paying for multiple apps all the time,” one fan said.
New England Patriots fans look upset as the Patriots lose in the second half of an NFL game against the Chicago Bears at Gillette Stadium in Boston, Massachusetts, on Oct. 24, 2022. (Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)
Another fan was blunt, calling the current system of watching games “f—ing stupid.”
“Well, it’s f—king stupid, you have to get five different platforms to watch all of the games that you want to, and still you have to pay on top. It’s ridiculous at this point,” the fan said.
One fan called it a “pain in the a–” to keep track of where and when the games are being streamed.
A different fan called it a “money grab,” citing Netflix as the latest streaming service the NFL brought in to start broadcasting its games.
One fan, who said he is a New York Jets season ticket holder and has the NFL package, lamented that he still does not have access to every game.
FCC TAKES NOTICE AS AMERICA’S MOST POPULAR SPORT BECOMES INCREASINGLY COSTLY, FRUSTRATING TO CONSUME
NFL fans walk outside the Super Bowl Experience at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California, on Feb. 6, 2026. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
“I can’t tell you how frustrating it is when I feel like I have every service, I have Jets season tickets, I have the NFL package, and then there is still games on top of that that I don’t have access to. It gets very frustrating,” the fan said.
Multiple fans said they pay for at least three, if not four streaming services. Numerous other fans said they pay for five or six different services at this point.
The fan who called the current system “f—king stupid,” said that she thinks that the NFL is taking the long way around to returning to satellite TV.
“Well, I think what’s actually going to happen is we are just taking the long way around going back to like satellite TV, and we are in the last stages of this part of it. It’s all going to conglomerate at one point,” she said.
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Denver Broncos fans cheer during a game against the New England Patriots in the fourth quarter of the Patriots’ 10-7 win in the AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, on Jan. 25, 2026. (Aaron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post/Getty Images)
NFL fans who want access to every game need to purchase YouTube TV for “NFL Sunday Ticket,” in addition to the costly subscriptions for all the streaming services the NFL broadcasts on. Those streaming services are Amazon Prime, Peacock and Netflix. The combination of those respective services is over $1,500 a year, and that doesn’t include the fees that come with basic cable packages or high-speed Wi-Fi that is needed to accommodate the platforms.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr said he was concerned that the rising prices of streaming games are maddening for sports fans, and it appears his concerns are valid.
Fox News’ Brian Flood contributed to this report.
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Sports
Tom Brady’s calculated trash talk connects WrestleMania to Fanatics Flag Football to Las Vegas
Fake is the operative word. Tom Brady’s beef with Logan Paul, Paul’s beef with Rob Gronkowski and Brady’s beef with World Wrestling Entertainment all are as fake as plant-based meat.
It’s also so much fun.
That’s the consensus opinion of fans and participants alike to the promotional shenanigans ahead of this weekend’s Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles and next month’s WWE WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Brady used the word himself, calling wrestling “fake B.S.” Wednesday night at the Flag Football Classic draft at a Beverly Hills hotel. The comments came shortly after Brady went on Paul’s “Impaulsive” podcast and told the WWE star in no uncertain terms that he was not on the same athletic level as NFL players.
Paul took exception, pointing out that he played linebacker in high school. He is on the flag football roster of Team Wildcats alongside NFL quarterbacks and captains Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels, so inquiring minds can evaluate Paul’s gridiron bona fides during the three-team flag fun televised at 1 p.m. PDT Sunday on Fox Sports.
In addition to Team Wildcats, the inaugural flag football event features a team led by Brady and Jalen Hurts called Founders and another consisting of the U.S. men’s national flag football roster.
In promoting the venture, Brady poked the enormously popular WWE organization, telling Paul, “You know, I love WWE. It’s very cute. But honestly, this is like real football. This is just real competition.
“I’m glad you’re going to be there and finally participate in a competition that matters.”
Brady upped the ante after Sports Illustrated playfully asked how many WWE wrestlers it would take to sack him.
“They wouldn’t even get near me,” he replied. “Plus, if I had a good offensive line, they’d punch those guys right in the throat and they’d probably be crying.”
All a deft segue to WrestleMania 42, which many followers suspect is positioning Brady to be some sort of scripted villain during the WWE’s annual five-day extravaganza. Last year WrestleMania 41 attracted more than 100,000 fans to Allegiant Stadium, generating roughly $65 million in ticket revenue and reaching a global audience with more than a billion social media views.
Adding the greatest quarterback of all time would only boost those numbers. Introducing a surprise antagonist has long been a key ingredient of the WWE recipe, and at this point Brady surfacing is all but expected.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion has morphed into a glue guy, whose employment as a Fox Sports NFL television analyst, part owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and key partner with Fanatics binds him with almost every major stakeholder in the Flag Football Classic and WrestleMania 42. Every stakeholder except the WWE.
That gives Brady license to take good-natured shots at wrestling for now and positions him to become a high-profile heel at WrestleMania 42.
It’s no coincidence that both events are in partnership with Fanatics, the outfit that has grown from designing and manufacturing licensed fan gear into a ubiquitous global digital sports platform and e-commerce company.
That leaves only the feigned feud between Paul and Gronkowski — Brady’s longtime pal and New England Patriots teammate. It started when Gronkowski labeled Paul a “flake” on a podcast a few days ago after Paul made a $1-million boxing challenge to NFL players and subsequently backed out of a fight with former running back Le’Veon Bell.
The tongue-in-cheek beef culminated in a verbal volley at the flag football draft with Gronkowski jawing at Paul while balancing a paper plate stacked with hors d’oeuvres and Paul shouting back over the head of 5-foot-5 comedian Kevin Hart, who somehow found himself in the role of peacemaker.
“No one can tackle me. So if Logan Paul wants a piece of me, I’m down to throw it down on the field and even throw my fist and just go at it, an all-out brawl on the flag football field,” Gronkowski said with an impish grin.
Crazy how Fanatics posted a video of the exchange so quickly. It had racked up 250,000 views as of Friday morning. Just Gronkowski and Paul following Brady’s lead, knowing their job descriptions include promotion as well as performance.
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Venezuela defeated Team USA, 3-2, in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) final Tuesday, and the game was historic in more ways than one.
Venezuela won its first-ever WBC title, and players flooded the field with emotion and pride as they celebrated the thrilling victory.
History was also made during the telecast when 10,784,000 viewers watched the final on FOX and FOX Deportes.
It became the most-watched WBC telecast of all time.
Fox Sports broadcaster Tom Verducci interviews MVP Maikel Garcia of Venezuela and his translator after a 3-2 victory against the United States at loanDepot Park March 17, 2026, in Miami, Fla. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
The telecast averaged 10,228,000 viewers, while hitting its peak at 12,148,000 from 10:30-10:45 p.m. ET on FOX.
This number was up 128% from the Team USA-Japan WBC final on FS1 during the 2023 tournament, when Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout to seal a third WBC win for his country.
TRUMP RAISES EYEBROWS WITH ‘STATEHOOD’ COMMENT AFTER VENEZUELA BEATS THE US IN WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
While this game had all the thrills, the WBC turned out to be an exciting tournament from the very start with pool play.
Whether it was feel-good stories like Ondřej Satoria’s standing ovation from Japanese fans at the Tokyo Dome during his final outing for Czechia or Italy’s espresso machine home run celebration, viewers from all over were tuning in to watch magic happen on the diamond.
Fox Sports broadcaster Tom Verducci interviews manager Omar López Team Venezuela after a 3-2 victory against the United States at loanDepot park March 17, 2026, in Miami, Fla. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
The tournament averaged 1,294,000 viewers across FOX, FS1 and FS2, making it the most-watched WBC in its 20-year history on English language networks.
It looked like Venezuela was going to shut out Team USA, which had just two hits and four base runners in the bottom of the eighth inning when Bryce Harper walked to the plate.
The game turned on its head when Harper belted a two-run homer to tie the game during the peak viewing window.
Venezuela, though, never blinked. Eugenio Suarez hit a rope to left-center field, scoring the game-winning run with a double.
Members of Team Venezuela celebrate with their gold medals after defeating the United States 3-2 at loanDepot Park March 17, 2026, in Miami, Fla. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Daniel Palencia closed things out for Venezuela, sealing the win with a strikeout of Roman Anthony. The party ensued for Venezuela at loanDepot Park.
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Thursday’s Results
BASEBALL
CITY SECTION
North Hollywood 5, Granada Hills Kennedy 3
Sun Valley Poly 11, Sylmar 9
Verdugo Hills 5, San Fernando 3
WISH Academy 11, Washington Prep 5
SOUTHERN SECTION
Adelanto 6, Granite Hills 4
Alhambra 10, Schurr 2
Animo Leadership 6, Compton Early College 3
Arroyo 14, Glendale 0
Banning 9, Yucca Valley 8
Beverly Hills 13, Lennox Academy 3
Bloomington 10, Carter 0
Buckley 7, Santa Monica Pacifica Christian 6
Campbell Hall 6, Brentwood 1
Chaparral 8, Citrus Valley 3
Charter Oak 3, El Rancho 2
Chino 7, Don Lugo 1
Compton Centennial 7, Lawndale 5
Covina 9, Pasadena Marshall 8
Diamond Ranch 5, Chaffey 4
Eisenhower 2, Colton 1
Environmental Charter 13, Ambassador 6
Etiwanda 2, Santa Ana Foothill 0
Gabrielino 23, Southlands Christian 4
Garden Grove 14, Rancho Alamitos 1
Glendora 14, Western Christian 3
Grace 29, Santa Clara 2
Grand Terrace 12, Arroyo Valley 0
Heritage Christian 12, Village Christian 1
La Mirada 7, Aliso Niguel 1
La Quinta 11, Rancho Mirage 0
Leuzinger 4, Culver City 3
Maranatha 12, Whittier Christian 4
Milken 4, Burbank Providence 1
Montebello 18, San Gabriel 0
Newbury Park 7, Buena 1
Norwalk 8, Sante Fe 3
Ontario 6, Montclair 3
Orange County Pacifica Christian 7, Laguna Beach 4
Palm Springs 17, Xavier Prep 4
Palo Verde 8, Bellflower 7
Redlands 15, Hesperia Christian 0
Redlands East Valley 18, Silverado 1
Rolling Hills Prep 13, HMSA 4
Rowland 3, Diamond Bar 1
San Juan Hills 11, Riverside Prep 10
Santa Clarita Christian 4, Desert Christian 0
Santa Monica 8, Calabasas 4
Santa Rosa Academy 9, San Jacinto Valley Academy 8
Shadow Hills 5, Palm Desert 3
South Hills 11, Los Altos 3
Summit 5, Rialto 1
Temecula Prep 14, SJDLCS 1
Temecula Valley 11, Trabuco Hills 0
Temescal Canyon 5, San Dimas 3
Trinity Classical Academy 7, Castaic 3
Twentynine Palms 4, AAE 2
Victory Valley 4, Barstow 3
Webb 16 La Puente 2
West Torrance 9, New Roads 0
West Valley 14, San Jacinto 4
INTERSECTIONAL
Borrego Springs 12, Anza Hamilton 0
Colorado Legend 10, La Habra 5
Eagle Rock 19, CALS Early College 1
Fullerton 14, Colorado Mullen 4
Gahr 7, Utah American Fork 1
Inglewood 16, Dorsey 1
St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 7, Port of LA 4
WISH Academy 11, Washington Prep 5
SOFTBALL
CITY SECTION
Animo Robinson 24, Animo Watts 14
Bell 11, Huntington Park 6
Bernstein 25, Contreras 12
Central City Value 18, Vaughn 14
Dorsey 21, Dymally 0
East Valley 20, Panorama 4
Garfield 6, LA Roosevelt 2
Hollywood 18, Belmont 5
Mendez 20, Roybal 8
SOCES 15, Northridge Academy 4
Triumph Charter 19, Bert Corona 1
Westchester 15, Narbonne 13
SOUTHERN SECTION
Alhambra 16, Mark Keppel 0
Aliso Niguel 4, El Toro 1
Alta Loma 6, Citrus Valley 2
Arrowhead Christian 19, Woodcrest Christian 2
Barstow 4, Victor valley 2
Beaumont 7, Rancho Verde 1
Bonita 20, Claremont 6
California 5, Sante Fe 4
Cantwell-Sacred Heart 5, Bishop Conaty-Loretto 2
Castaic 13, Golden Valley 4
Chadwick 22, Westridge 1
Chaffey 9, Diamond Ranch 0
Chaminade 7, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 6
Coastal Academy 9, Mayfield 0
Crescenta Valley 23, Hoover 0
Cypress 3, Segerstrom 0
Desert Christian Academy 11, California Military Institute 10
Don Lugo 3, Chino 2
Eastside 11, Littlerock 4
El Cajon Christian 8, Trabuco Hills 2
El Dorado 10, Mayfair 0
El Modena 9, La Habra 6
El Rancho 15, Arroyo 5
Fillmore 15, Channel Islands 4
Firebaugh 19, Hawthorne 13
Fontana 11, Bethel Christian 2
Foothill Tech 12, Bishop Diego 0
Fullerton 6, Los Altos 1
Garden Grove Pacifica 4, Anaheim Canyon 1
Gahr 10, Cerritos 0
Garden Grove 11, Westminster 1
Granite Hills 12, Adelanto 4
Hemet 16, United Christian Academy 5
Hesperia Christian 17, Immanuel Christian 2
Highland 2, Quartz Hill 1
Indio 18, Lakeside 1
Indio 14, Temecula Prep 1
Irvine University 9, San Marino 8
Jurupa Hills 16, San Gorgonio 0
Kaiser 14, Grand Terrace 5
Knight 14, Antelope Valley 1
Lakeside 7, San Jacinto 6
La Mirada 5, Valley Christian 0
La Quinta 10, Rancho Mirage 0
La Salle 13, Mary Star of the Sea 2
La Serna 16, Whittier 4
Lennox Academy 14, Compton Early College 8
Leuzinger 9, Culver City 6
Liberty 10, Linfield Christian 4
Los Alamitos 6, Huntington Beach 5
Marina 6, Edison 0
Millikan 9, Lakewood 0
Mira Costa 9, Bishop Montgomery 8
Mission Viejo 2, El Cajon Christian 1
Moorpark 14, Royal 2
Moreno Valley 9, Vista del Lago 6
Muir 18, Glendale 3
Murrieta Valley 15, Chaparral 5
Newport Harbor 7, Corona del Mar 4
North Torrance 6, Santa Monica 1
Northwood 8, Irvine 0
Oak Park 5, Camarillo 4
Ontario 5, Montclair 0
Oxnard 5, Buena 1
Paloma Valley 15, Tahquitz 2
Palos Verdes 4, El Segundo 0
Paraclete 9, Lakewood St. Joseph 4
Pasadena 19, Immaculate Heart 8
Pasadena Poly 10, Flintridge Prep 0
Rialto 18, Eisenhower 8
Ridgecrest Burroughs 31, Silver Valley 1
Riverside Notre Dame 6, United Christian Academy 0
Riverside Poly 2, Shadow Ridge 0
San Jacinto 15, Temecula Prep 1
San Juan Hills 8, Tesoro 5
Santa Ana Foothill 17, Esperanza 0
Santa Paula 18, Nordhoff 1
Saugus 3, Valencia 2
Schurr 25, San Gabriel 0
Shadow Hills 21, Palm Desert 14
Shadow Ridge 8, Louisville 4
Simi Valley 5, Newbury Park 4
St. Bernard d. San Gabriel Mission, forfeit
St. Bonaventure 20, Del Sol 0
St. Monica 16, St. Anthony 2
St. Paul 10, Bishop Amat 0
St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 18, Gardena Serra 5
Summit 20, Arroyo Valley 0
Temecula Valley 4, Great Oak 2
Viewpoint 10, Brentwood 0
Warren 9, La Palma Kennedy 1
West Covina 9, Southlands Christian 8
Western Christian 16, San Dimas 15
West Ranch 13, Canyon Country Canyon 4
Whittier Christian 3, Maranatha 1
Windward 11, Archer 8
Yucaipa 5, Rancho Cucamonga 3
Yucca Valley 19, Banning 9
INTERSECTIONAL
Anza Hamilton 10, Borrego Springs 0
Eagle Rock 6, Alemany 4
Harvard-Westlake 6, El Camino Real 3
Nevada Bishop Gorman 5, Mission Viejo 1
Nevada Spanish Springs 7, Carson 4
Rio Hondo Prep 3, San Diego 2
Riverside Poly 9, Nevada Reed 0
San Fernando 4, Tri-City Christian 3
Sierra Canyon 17, Nevada Douglas 0
Sierra Canyon 3, Nevada Reed 2
Sun Valley Magnet 7, Lakeview Charter 6
Thousand Oaks 9, Granada Hills 4
Torrance 7, Legacy 2
Trabuco Hills 4, Nevada Bishop Gorman 4
Utah Lehi 10, Carson 5
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