- After the Department of Justice investigation, Roger Goodell is called by Congress.
- Not just that, several other lawmakers have raised the issue regarding streaming services.
- The NFL maintains its stance that the current broadcasting model is best suited for the fans.
If you are an NFL fan, then you already know that you might have to spend $1,000+ per season to watch all the games across platforms. Yes, that is exorbitant, and that’s why NFL broadcast deals continue to draw federal scrutiny. First, there was a Department of Justice investigation into the league’s shift toward paywalled streaming services, and now Commissioner Roger Goodell has been summoned by Congress.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“We respectfully request your testimony at a hearing titled ‘Examining the Sports Broadcasting Act’ on June 10, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in room 2141 of the Rayburn House Office Building,” the letter sent by the House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Rep. Jim Jordan, read. “This hearing will examine the Sports Broadcasting Act (SBA) of 1961 and its effect on the modern broadcast market for major sports leagues.”
The letter released by Jim Jordan also explained how the sports broadcasting space has changed drastically since the SBA was introduced in 1961. This act presented leagues with a limited antitrust exemption, allowing them to negotiate their television deals collectively. But over the last few years, pro leagues have partnered with many new companies that have emerged as broadcast partners, making it expensive for consumers trying to figure out where to watch their teams’ games.
So with this hearing, which includes Goodell’s testimony and a question-and-answer session, the committee hopes to understand whether “potential legislative remedies may be needed to address that harm,” according to Jordan’s letter.
Earlier this year, the DOJ began an investigation into whether the NFL’s shift toward streaming platforms has harmed consumers. However, this investigation was not intended as an enforcement action against the league’s broadcast dealings. Separately, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr launched his own inquiry into these aspects of sports broadcasting.
The House Judiciary Committee is requesting NFL commissioner Roger Goodell testify at a hearing on the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act and its effects on current broadcasting and NFL’s antitrust exemption. pic.twitter.com/DOadohxLDb
— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) June 1, 2026
Similarly, several other lawmakers have raised the issue and taken action. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced legislation in April that allows fans living in a state of a team to telecast all games free of charge. At the same time, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY) sent a letter to the FCC to take necessary steps regarding the media consolidation, which is driving up the cost of live sports, while Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) similarly urged the DOJ and FTC to reexamine antitrust exemptions in the Sports Broadcasting Act.
With this hearing and the continued efforts of various lawmakers, it’s clear that changes are expected in how the NFL and other pro leagues continue with their broadcast deals, especially with the growing influx of streaming services in these negotiations. But despite this pressure, the NFL has continued to support its current formula to broadcast games.
NFL continues to back its current broadcast model despite continued criticism
Despite the scrutiny faced by the league over its shift toward streaming platforms like Prime Video, Netflix, and YouTube TV, the NFL has continued defending its broadcast model. Earlier in May, when the league released its schedule, NFL executive vice president of media distribution Hans Schroeder addressed these criticisms and explained why the current way of broadcasting is best suited for the fans.
“We love our model,” he said, per ESPN. “We think we have the most fan-friendly model there is of any sport or entertainment as far as distribution. We think broadcast [networks] have been an incredible home. And now we also know fans are increasingly spending their time on other platforms as well. They tune into broadcasts for the NFL, and that’s where we want to be. But we also want to be on these platforms with a limited amount of our games where we know our NFL fans are already as well.”
This argument from Schroeder stems from the NFL airing 87% of its games on free broadcast networks CBS, NBC, FOX, and ABC. While the other 13% of games are shown on streaming platforms, they often draw massive viewership that can, at times, eclipse the numbers generated by traditional TV broadcasts.
But now, as Commissioner Roger Goodell has been called to a hearing regarding the league’s TV deal and its compliance with the Sports Broadcasting Act, the coming days will be important in shaping the role of streaming services in these discussions.
