Gray Media's Phoenix Suns Deal Draws Team Interest; FCC Authority on NFL Questioned

The success of Gray Media's hybrid broadcast and streaming model with the Phoenix Suns signals a potential pathway for other regional sports rights holders to reach broader audiences and generate new revenue streams. However, ongoing FCC scrutiny of sports broadcasting rights, particularly for national leagues like the NFL, highlights regulatory uncertainty in the evolving live sports distribution landscape. Expect continued debate over consumer access to sports content, with the FCC likely to examine the balance between traditional broadcast and direct-to-consumer streaming models.

The FCC's inquiry into sports broadcasting practices (MB Docket No. 26-45), opened in February 2026, aims to understand the changing video marketplace and its impact on broadcasters' public interest obligations. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has publicly voiced concerns about the NFL placing too many games behind paywalls, potentially impacting the league's antitrust exemption, per Awful Announcing (April 2026). However, the FCC's direct authority to regulate private contracts between sports leagues and streaming platforms is limited, as outlined by the International Center for Law & Economics, suggesting that significant policy changes would require congressional action. The NFL, in an April 2026 filing to the FCC, defended its current distribution model, asserting that over 87% of its games are still broadcast on linear TV, with all games available free over-the-air in local markets (NewscastStudio, April 2026). The league claims this model benefits fans and local stations, citing record viewership across its broadcast and streaming partners in 2025. Broadcasters, including the NAB, have filed comments urging the FCC to prevent the migration of sports rights to streaming platforms, arguing it threatens local stations and news operations (NewscastStudio, April 2026). Some estimates suggest subscribing to every service carrying NFL games could cost consumers approximately $1,500 annually.