The FCC’s Media Bureau is asking for the public’s comments on the current state of sports broadcasting. In making the announcement, the Commission says, “Many games are still available for free over broadcast TV, but there has been a surge in recent years of games going behind the paywalls of various streaming services. While this can increase the number of games and sports available to fans, many consumers today find it more difficult to find the events they want to watch and are now paying to sign up for one or more video distribution platforms that consumers can find difficult to navigate.”
With that said, it is asking for consumers to “address the current and emerging trends in the distribution of live sports programming. How does the present marketplace benefit or harm consumers? How does the
recent trends towards fragmentation facilitate or inhibit the ability of local broadcast television stations to meet their public interest obligations, including their production of local news and reporting? In what ways is the marketplace continuing to evolve and how will future changes impact consumer access to free over-the-air news and information, including public safety information?”
NAB president Curtis LeGeyt issued the following statement in response: “NAB thanks Chairman Carr for his leadership in examining the rapid changes in the sports broadcasting marketplace and what they mean for American viewers and local communities.
“Consumer access to premier games through free, over-the-air television has long been a cornerstone of the American sports fan experience. As distribution becomes more fragmented across streaming services and paywalls, fans face higher costs and greater confusion just to follow the teams they care about. Local broadcasters provide the widest reach for live events, bringing fans together to celebrate their favorite teams.
“As the Commission evaluates these marketplace trends, it is important to ensure that local stations have a fair opportunity to compete for premium sports rights. That includes modernizing outdated ownership restrictions that limit broadcasters’ ability to achieve the scale necessary to compete in today’s media marketplace. We look forward to participating in this proceeding and providing real-world insight into how disruption in the media landscape is affecting viewers and local stations.”