Saturday’s playoff game between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs will be broadcast exclusively on Peacock. It will be the first NFL postseason game ever broadcast exclusively on Peacock — or any streaming service.
So, no matter what happens in the game, history will be made. But is it a good kind of history? That’s debatable. Charles Barkley can be counted among those who do not like it.
Barkley did a long segment on ESPN Chicago’s Waddle & Silvy on Thursday. And as his spot neared it’s end, he railed against the decision to cover the game only on Peacock.
“Showing this game not on cable, that’s low class,” Barkley said, H/T Barrett Sports Media. “That’s not cool, they’re just being greedy pigs. I’m glad some NFL players are taking some shots at them…I know the NFL is the biggest thing in the world, but to put this game on Peacock and make people have to buy Peacock, that’s just low class. I’m disgusted.
“They sold the game for 110 million,” Barkley continued. “And I know that’s a lot of money, but the NFL is making $20 billion a year. To screw your fans like that, it’s just not cool at all…That’s just flat out greedy and I’m disappointed in the NFL.”
Barkley added that he would not be able to watch the game anyway but if he was, he would boycott.
Barkley is not alone in his feelings. Bill Simmons of The Ringer said that, while he didn’t personally have a huge issue with it, that he felt the game would be “a disaster.”
Those feelings haven’t been shared only by commentators like Barkley and Simmons, but players, as well.
Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu also ripped the decision, going as far as to give away subscriptions.
And while there isn’t much history for the NFL to draw from, the history that is there lends itself to trepidation. Week 16’s game between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers was the first (and to date, only) regular season NFL game to be streamed. That broadcast was generally not well received by fans and struggled in the ratings when compared to games shown on broadcast television.
