The federal government could soon reshape how millions of Americans watch live sports on TV by overhauling a decades-old antitrust law in an attempt to rein in soaring costs.
Earlier this year the Federal Communications Commission, the regulatory agency that oversees most forms of communication, announced it was seeking public comments on the live sports viewing experience, which has been radically transformed by streaming services in recent years.
Some lawmakers have also signaled a willingness to modernize the licensing rulebook in order to account for the emergence of streaming giants like Apple, Amazon, and Netflix.
Watching live sports â particularly flagship games like the NFL playoffs â costs more than ever. Surveys reveal mounting frustrations among American fans facing steeper fees and piecemeal access.
âThe thing thatâs getting lost in some of this discussion is the broader economics of sports,â a media consultant who focuses on streaming told The Hill. âThe leagues are pretty clearly not interested in doing whatâs best for fans. And why would they [be] when people continue to pay to see games on all of these services?â
Earlier this year, the Federal Communications Commission announced it was seeking public comments on the live sports viewing experience, which has been radically transformed by streaming services in recent years. Pictured here are New Orleans Saints fans watching the Super Bowl in 2010 (Getty)
Why sports fans are fed up
Many fans have cut the cord on cable bundles, turning to streaming services like Roku and YouTube TV for sports games. Comcast, Paramount, and Disney have all rolled out their own direct-to-consumer streaming platforms.
Some 43 percent of U.S. households with Internet access watch sports, and 70 percent use a streaming platform, according to a 2025 by market research firm Parks Associates.
An Associated Press poll the same year found that 60 percent of sports âsuper fansâ subscribe to sports-only streaming…