The FCC is launching a public inquiry into the migration of sports rights from free, over-the-air broadcast outlets to subscription streaming, something that has been increasing source of concern among lawmakers on Capitol hill.
The agency is seeking public comment on the trend, with the FCC Media Bureau noting that while “streamers have helped expand access to professional and collegiate sports, they also appear to have contributed to the fragmentation of the sports media marketplace.”
The bureau noted that in 2025, NFL games aired on 10 different services, “which, according to some estimates, could cost a consumer over $1,500 to watch all games.
“In addition, 20 NFL regular season games and one playoff game were nationally distributed,
exclusively, on four different streaming services—Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Peacock, and
Netflix.”
The bureau is asking a series of questions, including, “To what extent do current sports media rights contracts conflict with or impede TV broadcasters from meeting their public interest obligations? How should these arrangements be considered in the context of broadcasters’ public interest obligations and the FCC’s duty to ensure licensees meet their statutory requirements?” The query also asks what steps the FCC could take to “ensure any broadcast licensee responsibilities are fulfilled.”
Brendan Carr, the chairman of the FCC, wrote in a post on X, “For decades, Americans enjoyed turning on their TV & quickly finding the game they wanted to see. Yet watching your favorite team play isn’t as easy these day. Many games are still on broadcast, but an increasing number are on a range of different online platforms.”
Last year, the Republican leaders of the House Judiciary Committee raised the issue of streaming as they raised questions of whether major sports leagues should still get an antitrust exemption for coordinating TV broadcast rights.
The FCC’s comment period runs through March 27, with reply comments due on April 13.