Particle.news
Download on the App Store
11 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

NFL Defends Streaming Deals in FCC Meeting as Antitrust Reviews Intensify

The league contends most games stay on free broadcast, warning that curbing its antitrust shield would raise costs.

Image
Mar 30, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Detailed view of the NFL shield logo on a lectern in a press conference room during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Davante Adams of the Los Angeles Rams dives with a ball against Josh Jobe of the Seattle Seahawks during the NFC Championship game on Jan. 25, 2026.

Overview

  • The NFL, which met Friday with FCC staff in Washington, defended its streaming push in a presentation and letter that the agency posted Wednesday.
  • League officials said 87% of games air on ABC, CBS, Fox or NBC and that every game is shown on broadcast TV in the two home markets of the teams playing.
  • The filing argued that rolling back the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which lets leagues sell media rights as a group, would splinter deals across 32 teams and drive up viewer costs.
  • The FCC’s February inquiry notes that in 2025 NFL games ran across 10 services, with 20 regular-season games and one playoff carried only on Amazon, YouTube, Peacock or Netflix, which could push the tab to about $1,500 to see everything.
  • The Justice Department is running a separate antitrust probe into whether the NFL’s media model raises subscription prices for viewers.