Sunday, October 11, 2026
  • -
    days
  • -
    hours
  • -
    minutes
  • -
    seconds

Would the NFL Ever Put Super Bowl On Pay-Per-View? Harris Poll Survey Says: Bad Idea

  • Only 28% of NFL fans said they would be very likely to purchase a PPV Super Bowl.
  • Almost 70% of NFL fans would try to watch a PPV Super Bowl without paying.
Feb 6, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; The entrance to the locker room exhibit at the NFL Experience at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

The NFL is embracing streaming—both complementary and exclusive live broadcasts—more than ever before. This year, the AFC champion Chiefs’ playoff run started with a win over the Dolphins that was only available on Peacock, and 23 million viewers tuned in.

More streaming is no doubt on the way, but NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said this week that a streaming Super Bowl won’t happen under his watch. If the league were to one day take things to the extreme, though, and make the Super Bowl a pay-per-view event, the impact could be drastically negative, according to the results of a new exclusive Front Office Sports-Harris Poll. 

Seven in 10 self-described NFL fans (68%) said they would try to find a way to watch the game without paying (watching with someone they know or finding an illegal stream) if the Super Bowl went to PPV. Only 28% of NFL fans said they would be very likely to purchase a PPV Super Bowl, and just 10% of non-NFL fans said they would even be somewhat likely to do so.

When it comes to pricing, here’s how things shake out among fans willing to pay a one-time fee for the Super Bowl:

  • 11% would spend between $65 and $84.99.
  • 29% would pay between $35 and $64.99.
  • 31% would be only willing to fork over less than $15.

Given those data points, it shouldn’t be surprising that three-quarters (76%) of U.S. adults who are at least somewhat likely to purchase a PPV Super Bowl said they would try to split the cost by inviting other people to watch the game with them. Similarly, 70% of U.S. adults who are at least somewhat likely to buy a PPV Super Bowl said they would be more likely to watch the game somewhere besides their home (bar/restaurant or residence of someone they know).

This survey was conducted online in the United States by The Harris Poll from February 2, 2024 to February 5, 2024 among 1,079 U.S. adults, ages 18+.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Bears, Saints, Packers Pay Tribute to Mike Ditka

The Bears are wearing an “89” helmet decal in tribute.

Deshaun Watson’s Revived Play Raises Questions About Future

Watson is in the fifth and final year of his contract.

Georgia-Alabama Braces for Hurricane, Trump Won’t Attend

Alabama banned tailgating and all outdoor activities on campus before noon.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning talks to Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola on the sideline as the Oregon Ducks face the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 12, 2026, at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

How Oregon Beat College Football’s ‘Impossible’ Backup QB Market

Dylan Raiola will get the first start of his Oregon career on Saturday.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/9/26 – MLB’s 154-Game Pitch, NFL Bets on SCOTUS, Shaq Says Barkley Isn’t Leaving

0:00

Featured Today

Action Images/Peter Cziborra

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?
Oct 3, 2026; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer waits to run onto the field prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
October 7, 2026

Who Is Alabama Football in Year 3 Under Kalen DeBoer?

The No. 6 Crimson Tide host No. 2 Georgia on Saturday.
Cubs behind the scenes
October 6, 2026

Hollywood and TikTok: Sports Media’s New ‘Blueprint’

Teams and leagues are pouring money into the quest for fans.
October 2, 2026

How the Baseball Cap Became a ‘Behemoth’

The hat has become essential for athletes, fans, and the sports-agnostic.
Morishita-Sato-homerun-celebration-at-Meiji-Jingu-Baseball-Staidum-2025
September 28, 2026

Japanese Baseball Is Fighting Back Against MLB Talent Drain

Nippon Professional Baseball is reimagining how to be a global juggernaut.
Oct 23, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Stephen A. Smith (Stephen Smith) on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Stephen A. Smith Ditches the ‘Nopology’ in Lane Johnson Mea Culpa

Smith faced criticism for comments about Johnson retiring to focus on mental health.
Kenny Albert Fox Sports
First at FOS
October 7, 2026

Kenny Albert’s Last-Minute NLDS Fill-In Came Mid-Colonoscopy Prep

Albert filled in for Joe Davis, who had lost his voice.
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - AS Monaco v RC Strasbourg - Stade Louis II, Monaco, - April 19, 2025 TV pundit holds a DAZN microphone before the match
October 8, 2026

DAZN Grows Sports Footprint as It Acquires Local Rights

The streamer has quickly amassed a large collection of team rights.
Sponsored

Beyond the Scorecard: How Dow Is Putting Purpose at the Center of Women’s Golf

Discover how Dow and the LPGA are building a partnership with lasting impact.
Charles Barkley Shaquille O'Neal
First at FOS
October 7, 2026

Shaquille O’Neal on Charles Barkley Retiring: ‘I Don’t Believe That’

Barkley has walked back retirement plans before, most recently in 2024.
Sep 26, 2026; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; United States President Donald Trump is shown on the video board in attendance at Neyland Stadium before the game between Texas Longhorns and Tennessee Volunteers. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
October 7, 2026

Trump Still Plans to Attend Georgia-Alabama Despite Tropical Storm

The tropical storm projects to progress to a hurricane by Friday.
Oct 4, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs for seventy-six yards against Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Taron Johnson (3) and safety Jeremy Chinn (11) during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium.
October 7, 2026

Combined Sports Assets Give Skydance Leverage With NFL

The company’s co-CEOs spent Day 1 meeting with employees and press.
Max Kellerman Ring Magazine
Exclusive
October 6, 2026

Max Kellerman, LeSean McCoy Not Returning to DAZN Boxing Show

DAZN announced Tuesday that Mario Lopez is joining the show.