WASHINGTON—The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is applauding a resolution adopted by the 50 state broadcasters associations, along with the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, urging Congress to reexamine the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 to preserve broad fan access to sports programming as more games move behind streaming paywalls.
“Across the country, broadcasters are standing with fans frustrated by the rising paywalls and growing confusion surrounding live sports,” NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt said. “For generations, free, over-the-air broadcast television has brought Americans together for the games that define our communities and our culture. That access should not depend on a household’s income, broadband connection or ability to juggle multiple streaming subscriptions.
“[The] Sports Broadcasting Act was enacted nearly seven decades ago to govern the relationship between major sports leagues and the nation’s broadcast networks, which were and remain freely available to all Americans,“ LeGeyt added. “More than six decades later, Congress should examine whether today’s increasingly fragmented sports marketplace is still serving fans…Policymakers should put fans first and ensure that the future of sports distribution preserves broad access through free, local broadcast television.”
NAB noted that the resolution reflects growing concern that sports programming is increasingly fragmented across exclusive digital platforms, forcing fans to purchase multiple subscriptions, maintain reliable broadband access and navigate a maze of services just to follow their favorite teams. The broadcaster group called on Congress to assess whether these evolving distribution practices are covered under the law, serve the public interest and preserve broad fan access to sports programming.
The unified action from state broadcasters’ associations also comes amid rising bipartisan scrutiny of sports rights deals that move games away from free, over-the-air television and an ongoing Federal Communications Commission probe into sports rights.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr and policymakers have expressed concern about rising costs and increasing confusion for fans as games that were once easy to find become scattered across paid apps and exclusive streaming services.
NAB said it continues to engage with policymakers to emphasize the enduring value of broadcasting as a free, local and trusted platform for live sports and other essential programming.
