Broadcasters lobby Congress to mandate free over-the-air access for major sports

A federal mandate for free sports access would fundamentally reset the competitive dynamics of the sports rights market. Currently, tech giants use deep pockets to outbid linear networks for exclusivity, but a regulatory 'over-the-air' requirement would dilute the value of these digital-only packages. For streamers, this could force a shift toward hybrid distribution models or ad-supported reach over pure subscription revenue. The specific signal to watch is whether upcoming amendments to the Sports Broadcasting Act include a concrete definition of 'accessible content' that explicitly targets streaming-exclusive windows.

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has intensified its advocacy efforts as federal scrutiny of sports media business models reaches a peak. Per TVTechnology (May 2026), all 50 state broadcaster associations recently signed a resolution urging Congress to close loopholes they claim streamers use to bypass the public-interest intent of original 1960s-era law. This push coincides with a June 10, 2026, House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing specifically examining the NFL’s antitrust exemption. Lawmakers are investigating whether the league’s move to place exclusive games on platforms like Netflix—which per Forbes (April 2026) raised its premium tier to $26.99—violates the spirit of the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act.

Relatedly, the Protect College Sports Act of 2026 was introduced to establish 'market-level broadcast access,' a new regulatory framework intended to prevent local college games from disappearing behind paywalls. Per Puck News (June 2026), the bill would require content to be made available to at least one local outlet on a non-exclusive basis. This legislative momentum follows a broader industry disruption where regional sports networks (RSNs) have struggled; Main Street Sports Group (formerly Diamond Sports) emerged from bankruptcy in early 2025 by prioritizing a hybrid digital-and-broadcast approach to maintain reach, per AP News (October 2024).

The Department of Justice also opened a formal investigation in April 2026 into whether exclusive streaming contracts are anticompetitive. According to Legis1 (June 2026), regulators are assessing if the 'sponsored telecasting' protections in current law only apply to network broadcast television, excluding paid distribution like Peacock or Amazon Prime. These concurrent regulatory, legislative, and judicial challenges suggest the streaming industry’s current strategy of acquiring exclusive 'silos' of sports content may soon face mandatory sub-licensing or distribution requirements to ensure universal viewer access.