The National Football League (NFL) is under the spotlight as Congress has called upon Commissioner Roger Goodell to testify regarding the league’s recent shift towards streaming services. This move comes amid growing federal scrutiny over the NFL’s broadcast agreements and their compliance with the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.
Congressional Inquiry
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, has requested Goodell’s presence at a hearing scheduled for June 10. The hearing aims to examine the NFL’s use of its antitrust exemption under the 1961 law, which allows professional sports leagues to pool media rights and negotiate collectively. However, this exemption currently applies only to broadcast networks, not to cable, satellite, or streaming platforms.
There is bipartisan interest in updating the law to reflect the changing media landscape, with President Donald Trump among those critical of the NFL’s embrace of streaming services. The hearing will explore whether the NFL’s current practices harm consumers and if legislative changes are necessary to address these concerns.
Federal Investigation
The Justice Department is also investigating the NFL for potential anticompetitive practices. A government official, speaking anonymously, indicated that the investigation focuses on consumer affordability and ensuring a level playing field for service providers.
In March, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, urged the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission to review the NFL’s distribution methods for compliance with the 1961 law. The FTC has since sought public comments on the shift of live sports from traditional broadcast channels to streaming services.
NFL’s Response
The NFL maintains that 87% of its games are available on free television, with games aired exclusively on cable or streaming services still accessible over the air in the home markets of the competing teams. The league has established broadcast and streaming partnerships with major platforms such as CBS/Paramount-Plus, NBC/Peacock, ABC/ESPN/ESPN-Plus, Fox, NFL Network, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and YouTube TV.
Despite the scrutiny, the NFL continues to expand its streaming offerings. Thursday night games moved to Prime Video in 2022, and the league has since added a wild-card playoff game, Christmas Day games, and a Black Friday game to its streaming lineup. This season, Netflix will stream an opening-week game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, and a Green Bay Packers-Rams game the day before Thanksgiving.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
