FCC Weighs NFL Antitrust Exemption Amid Streaming Sports Backlash

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said Sunday that the commission is reviewing thousands of public comments on whether a significant share of major sports events should be kept free on over‑the‑air broadcast television as leagues push more games behind streaming paywalls. Speaking on Fox & Friends Weekend, Carr said an initial read of the comments shows an overwhelming majority of respondents want a large portion of games to remain on broadcast, and he warned that the NFL’s special antitrust exemption under the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act could be at risk if leagues push too far. That law lets the NFL negotiate league‑wide TV deals that would otherwise raise antitrust questions, on the condition that fan access is protected, and Carr suggested Congress or other parts of the government could also act if the trend toward fragmented, costly streaming continues. The review comes as polls show about 72% of U.S. sports fans believe major events should stay free on broadcast TV and as the NFL experiments with selling packages, like Christmas and potential preseason games, to platforms such as Netflix and Amazon. Fans’ anger over juggling multiple subscriptions has been building on social media, and any move to narrow or revoke the NFL’s antitrust shield would represent a major shift in the business model that underpins how Americans watch football.