In 2026, sports highlights should be accessible to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Unless you’re a Georgia Bulldogs football fan, that is.
College football fans are among the most passionate in all of sports. We’ve seen media companies and streaming platforms use that passion to drive subscriptions. There’s a reason why there’s at least one Ohio State Buckeyes game on Big Ten Network and Peacock each year; it helps to drive subscriptions for those outlets. But fans and even legislators have been angry and disenchanted, knowing they are being forced to pay to watch their team.
But Georgia may be taking it to an entirely new and absurd level.
The third-ranked Bulldogs began their season with a 63-3 victory over Tennessee State on Saturday in what amounted to a glorified preseason game. And on Monday evening, they posted a teaser trailer for the program’s official highlight video… with a catch. The full highlights were only available on the Glory Glory Georgia website and app. And access requires a minimum $20 monthly subscription fee.
🎥 Watch the full Victory Highlights on https://t.co/Fackoy85Rn and the Glory Glory app pic.twitter.com/zD6WEwYLag
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) September 7, 2026
As you might expect, the replies and quote tweets are filled with fans in disbelief that they have to pay a monthly subscription to watch a highlights video.
Putting highlights behind a pay wall is an indicator of the sad spot this sport is heading
— CFBGrids.com (@CFBGrids) September 8, 2026
The death of college football continues it’s methodical progress.
— Matt Phillips (@MateoPhillips) September 8, 2026
Putting the victory highlights behind a paywall isn’t cool. The fans pay for more than enough. @Brooks_UGA I am sure you will fix this!
— Gary (@garydawg0) September 8, 2026
Rising ticket costs. Rising tuition costs. Donate more. Give more. Buy more. More more more. When is it enough? When will you stop trying so hard to price your hardworking fans out of everything? This is beyond a joke and I hope it is fixed with quickness. This is a major miss. https://t.co/3Ls84q8HAn
— Jimmy G, CPO (@JimmyG1574) September 8, 2026
The year was 2026.
You paid $320 for your family of 4 to attend the game.
It was really hot, so you buy 4 water bottles for $16.
You go to watch the post game recap with your family to rewatch a fun day together, but it is behind a pay wall. https://t.co/dbW9Ih0Nlx
— The Battery Avenue Booer (@TrillWilsosa) September 8, 2026
Paywalling a highlights video isn’t the way to build a good feeling in any fanbase. But here’s the most ridiculous thing about it — there are plenty of highlights of the game readily available for free in several different places.
ESPN’s college football YouTube page has a full 18-minute highlight package. It has already amassed over 500,000 views. The SEC also has their own 20-minute version in a condensed game offering on their YouTube page. A quick search shows multiple other fan-made versions that are much shorter and quicker to consume. Why in the world would anyone pay for highlights when they can be accessed for free so easily?
Sports fans have been asked to jump over so many paywalls that it’s easy to understand the frustration when one more thing requires another subscription. But highlights packages? That goes beyond any sense of normality.
About Matt Yoder