Congress to introduce legislation on NFL's migration to streaming
Awful Announcing • • sports
Key Points:
- The NFL is under federal investigation by the FCC and DOJ, prompted by Fox Corporation founder Rupert Murdoch, over potential violations of the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 related to the league's media rights deals.
- A recent congressional hearing criticized the NFL's fragmentation of game broadcasts across streaming services and the lack of single-team out-of-market subscription options, highlighting concerns about anti-consumer practices.
- Congress is expected to introduce legislation soon to reform the Sports Broadcasting Act, potentially ensuring more games remain on free, over-the-air networks, aligning with Fox’s interests.
- Bipartisan support exists for making professional sports more accessible, increasing the likelihood of eventual legislative changes, though any new laws would take time to pass and impact future NFL media deals.
- This legislative push follows a separate bill introduced by Senator Tammy Baldwin requiring free local viewing options for all professional sports games within a team’s state.