There would still be piracy sites. So their choice would be between everyone watching it for free or offering their service without drm.

the web was famously cut off for all sorts of media before DRM was permitted

It was a bad position for him to take.

easy choice. also, thats just BS, remember how SOMEHOW the same was said for playback of music on computers, yet somehow a certain now-dead CEO was able to say "fuck you" and it happened anyway?