Congress targets NFL's $110B broadcast model as Jim Jordan requests Goodell testify at June 10 hearing

The House Judiciary Committee connected Monday requested NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell attest astatine a proceeding that volition analyse whether the Sports Broadcast Act of 1961 has been utilized by sports leagues "to harm consumers," according to a missive obtained by Fox News and OutKick.

The letter, from Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R, Ohio), requests Goodell attest connected June 10.

This is not a subpoena , truthful Goodell tin opt to attest oregon not. He is instructed to fto the Committee cognize his intentions by June 3.

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An NFL spokesperson did not instantly respond to an email seeking confirmation arsenic to the commissioner's intentions.

"We respectfully petition your grounds astatine a proceeding titled "Examining the Sports Broadcasting Act" connected June 10, 2026, astatine 10:00 a.m., successful country 2141 of the Rayburn House Office Building," the missive to Goodell reads.

"This proceeding volition analyse the Sports Broadcasting Act (SBA) of 1961 and its effect connected the modern broadcast marketplace for large sports leagues. In particular, this proceeding volition analyse the ways successful which the organisation of nonrecreational sports has evolved since the SBA was archetypal enacted 65 years ago.

"It volition besides analyse the grade to which the antitrust exemption created by the SBA has been utilized by the nonrecreational sports leagues to harm consumers and whether imaginable legislative remedies whitethorn beryllium needed to code that harm."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is pictured speaking successful an representation provided by Imagn Images.

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That sounds ominous and should beryllium for the NFL due to the fact that its concern exemplary hinges connected the antitrust exemption wrong the Sports Broadcasting Act.

The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 grants nonrecreational sports leagues, including the NFL, a constricted antitrust exemption that allows teams to excavation their tv rights and merchantability them collectively arsenic a league bundle alternatively than having each squad negociate its ain broadcasting contracts.

So, the NFL is capable to negociate tv contracts arsenic 1 entity connected behalf of its 32 teams. That has been a boon to the league.

The NFL's existent media-rights agreements, which tally done the 2033 season, are reportedly worthy much than $110 cardinal overall. The yearly values for the 4 large broadcast partners are:

• ABC/ESPN (Disney): astir $2.7 cardinal per year.
• FOX: astir $2.2 cardinal per year.
• CBS (Paramount): astir $2.1 cardinal per year.

NBC (Comcast): astir $2 cardinal per year.

Netflix and NFL signage advertises the NFL's 2 Christmas Day marquee games streaming unrecorded connected Netflix successful New Orleans, Louisiana, connected Dec. 1, 2024. (Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)

If Congress, the Department of Justice oregon the FCC — each of which are conducting probes into however nonrecreational sports leagues whitethorn beryllium violating the Sports Broadcasting Act by funneling games to wage streaming sites specified arsenic Amazon, Netflix, Peacock and others — determine a alteration is necessary, it could stone the NFL to its foundation.

So, arsenic the missive from Jordan to Goodell states, the commissioner should beryllium "prepared to summarize your grounds with a five-minute opening connection and reply questions posed by Subcommittee members," immoderate of whom mightiness not beryllium treating the commissioner arsenic a affable witness.

The NFL has antecedently made a presumption earlier the FCC to person that assemblage that the league's concern exemplary is bully for consumers arsenic 87 percent of its games are connected alleged "free" television.

But consumers person complained that the advent of Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, which necessitate consumers wage a subscription fee, has affected their wallet arsenic the NFL has siphoned aggregate games to the services successful caller years.

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This coming season, Amazon Prime holds exclusive nationalist rights to the NFL's yearly Black Friday crippled successful summation to 15 Thursday Night Football games, portion Netflix volition transportation 2 Christmas Day games and Peacock streams an exclusive regular-season matchup.

The outgo for consumers of adding each those services to person entree to the games is astatine the basal of their complaints.

FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO