When theKansas City Chiefsface theLos Angeles Chargerson Friday, Sept. 5 from São Paulo, Brazil, it "will be the most accessible NFL game ever produced," according to league executive vice president for communications and public affairs Jeff Miller. It's not the first NFL game ever exclusively streamed – NBCUniversal's Peacock, Amazon's Prime Video and Netflix have all had cracks at showing games – but all that is required is access to the Internet. No subscriptions. No dollars. Anywhere in the world. Counting YouTube, NFL games will air on seven platforms during the 2025 season: the three traditional networks (CBS, NBC, FOX), Prime Video for "Thursday Night Football," ESPN/Disney for "Monday Night Football" and Netflix's two Christmas Day games. The NFL says it's keeping fans top of mind while sprinkling its product across the media ecosystem. 1. Dak Prescott, Dallas CowboysPrescott's $60 million AAV makes him the highest-paid player in the NFL. The Dallas quarterback signed a four-year, $240 million deal with the Cowboys on the eve of the 2024 NFL season opener. "We need to continue to evolve with the landscape around us," NFL executive vice president for distribution Hans Schroder said during a conference call with reporters Sept. 2. The NFL remains committed to free-to-air distribution, Schroeder said. The foundation, 87%, of its games are available on broadcast TV stations, FOX and CBS affiliates, which is inherently fan-friendly, according to the NFL. Assuming fans have access to an antenna, all games in home markets are free. (Digital antennas for smart televisions cost around $20.) For fans who don't live in the same television market as their favorite team is where it becomes more complicated – and pricier. "Sunday Ticket" costs $276 for the year, but a new monthly option ($85) could be more palatable to fans. NFL RedZone, or NFL+ for those wanting to watch on a smartphone, is another option – at additional cost. There is no denying the media landscape is different than it was 15 years ago, when broadcast television was the sole medium for distribution. Now, fans that want to watch via a direct-to-consumer option (such as FOX One, Paramount+ or ESPN's app) or on traditional cable or a smartphone can do so. "We think adding choice and availability for our fans is a win for the fans," Schroeder said. He added: "We want to be on the screens and platforms and places where we already know fans are spending their time." Except, fans aren't spending time there to watch football. Instilling that in fans will be a learned behavior. But the NFL believes fans are not paying simply to watch their games. "We want to be on those big platforms, and if you look where we've gone on digital, I think the other thing I'd say is that we are on platforms that are already highly-scaled with wide reach already," said Schroeder, noting that YouTube is available in almost every country in the world and that Netflix has approximately 300 million worldwide subscribers. Highest paid NFL players 2025: See where Patrick Mahomes, Micah Parsons rank "The reality is our fans are spending more and more of their time across different parts of the media landscape," Schroeder said. "I think by giving them more choice, more opportunities to access our content … that's great. "For us, it's about giving those choices and those opportunities. Once we do that, the fan can select the best way to engage and the best platforms for them." Not everybody, including the league's most obsessed fans, agrees. "The NFL is more fragmented than anybody else out there from a sports league standpoint, and obviously the reason for that is money," streaming expertDan Rayburn told USA TODAY Sportsat the start of the 2024 season. "That's all it is." YouTube is airing the game for an undisclosed amount, but is believed to be more than the $105 million NBCUniversal paid to air the 2024 Brazil contest between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers on Peacock. What the league is looking for in new partners is twofold – size and scale. YouTube satisfies those conditions. More than anything, the league wants the games produced and announced in a way that feels like any NFL game. That way, the league can continue to stand by its belief it can put any of the 272 regular season games in any slot. Innovation is another factor the NFL likes when it comes to new digital partners. One example would be Amazon's "PrimeVision," which uses league proprietary data (NextGen Stats). YouTube is experimenting by spotlighting creators that have large followings on their platform; commissioner Roger Goodell filmed a promotional video with Jimmy "Mr. Beast" Donaldson. "When it comes to digital, there are more ways we can focus on innovating," Schroeder said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:YouTube's Chiefs-Chargers stream another hurdle for NFL fans
