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Peacock Special: Poll Says NFL Streaming Playoffs Not That Bad

  • The Chiefs-Dolphins wild card weekend matchup is only available on Peacock.
  • A new survey suggests a majority of NFL fans are willing to pay for the game.
Patrick Mahomes
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL has placed perhaps the best matchup of wild card weekend on Peacock,  unsurprisingly upsetting plenty of fans across the country, with many speaking out on social media about their frustration. In order to watch the Kansas City Chiefs host the Miami Dolphins on Saturday night, fans not residing in the Kansas City or South Florida markets will need a subscription to Peacock, which starts at $5.99 per month.

But despite the outrage from some, not everyone is beside themselves about the NFL playoffs existing behind a paywall. An exclusive Front Office Sports-Harris Poll shows that a majority of potential viewers are okay with Peacock, or any other streamer, getting a game like Chiefs-Dolphins. 

About three in five (61%) NFL fans and two in five (45%) U.S. adults said they would be likely to pay for a subscription to a streaming service to watch an NFL playoff game, according to the survey. If the NFL were to take things a step further and make a postseason matchup a pay-per-view event, 57% of NFL fans and 42% of U.S. adults surveyed say they would be likely to pay a one-time fee to watch an NFL playoff game. Of those NFL fans willing to pay a per-game price, more than half (53%) would pay $10+, and 17% would pay $20+.

What About A Super Bowl?

If the Super Bowl ever ended up on a paid streaming service, two-thirds (64%) of NFL fans and about half (49%) of U.S. adults would be likely to pay for a subscription to watch the game, per the FOS-Harris Poll. And the same amount of NFL fans and U.S. adults would be likely to pay a one-time fee for the Super Bowl, too.

The survey was conducted online in the U.S. by The Harris Poll from Jan. 5-7, 2024, among 2,147 U.S. adults, ages 18 and over. View the full study here.

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