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Super Bowl champion Steve Beuerlein said that fans’ complaints about the number of services the NFL requires to watch the games are “very legitimate.”
Beuerlein, 61, said that he would definitely take the fans’ side.
“I think it’s a very legitimate complaint from the fans and I would definitely take their side,” Beuerlein told Fox News Digital in a recent interview on behalf of Heartflow.
The former Pro Bowl quarterback also talked about how expensive it is for fans to attend NFL games, calling the ticket prices exorbitant.
“It’s almost unaffordable for fans to go to a game and take their family to a game these days in most scenarios. There are some owners that are doing a really good job of getting creative and making tickets available for those that that otherwise would not be able to afford to go, but the cost is so exorbitant these days,” Beuerlein said.
Beuerlein lamented that fans can’t just watch all the games on TV at home for free, calling the NFL’s expansion to streaming services overkill.
“And then now to really make it that much more expensive to sit at home and try to get coverage and watch a game on television. It almost is a little bit of overkill if you ask me. I understand the argument from the fans’ perspective,” he said.
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Beuerlein said he understands it’s a business, but is sympathetic toward the fans.
“These owners are always trying to find new ways to create revenue streams because salaries are going up for sure, and it seems like it’s on a never-ending cycle, but I definitely am sympathetic to the fans,” Beuerlein said.
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 uses to broadcast games.
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 needed to accommodate the platforms.
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The Justice Department reportedly opened an investigation into the NFL over its use of streaming services.
A Fox News poll in March indicated that 72% of sports fans think major sporting events should stay free on broadcast TV amid reports that the NFL is considering allowing teams to sell the rights to preseason games to streaming services.
FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty credited FCC Chairman Brendan Carr with identifying that “public interest is no longer being served, and the need for government immunity is less clear” at a recent news conference.
“Indeed, more than 8,000 people have submitted comments (to) the FCC, with 98% of those comments expressing frustration with the streaming migration trend and their hope that broadcast will remain the preeminent platform for watching their favorite team,” she said.
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“Getting broadcast policy right includes empowering broadcasters to respond to this widely felt consumer need and ensure broadcasters’ continued ability to serve local communities not only through sports but other programming, as well.”
Beuerlein played 14 seasons in the NFL. He played for the then-Los Angeles Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos. He was a backup quarterback when the Cowboys won the Super Bowl in 1992.
He made the Pro Bowl with the Panthers in 1999. In 147 games (102 starts), he completed 56.9% of passes for 24,046 yards, with 147 touchdowns and 112 interceptions.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
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