House Judiciary Committee summons NFL commissioner to testify on broadcast deals

Committee Chairman Jim Jordan wrote Goodell that lawmakers want to examine “the extent to which” the law “has been used by the professional sports leagues to harm consumers and whether potential legislative remedies may be needed to address that harm.” The 1961 statute allows professional leagues to pool media rights without facing antitrust suits, enabling large national television packages.

The request follows a Justice Department antitrust investigation opened in April into the NFL’s media arrangements. A government official previously told The New York Post the probe centers on affordability for consumers and creating an even playing field for providers.

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr has also warned that the league could lose its antitrust protections if too many live games move behind paywalls on streaming services. Carr told The New York Post in March that classification questions remain open for platforms such as Netflix and YouTube TV.

viewers A February FCC filing noted that NFL games last year appeared on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Netflix, YouTube and six other streaming services, with an estimated total cost of $1,500 to watch every pro football game. Carr wrote on X on Feb.

25 that watching a favorite team “isn’t as easy these day” compared with past decades when games were more readily available on traditional television. The hearing is scheduled for June 10.