FCC sends a stern warning to the NFL, jeopardizing future plans

[ap215]

FCC sends a stern warning to the NFL, jeopardizing future plans

The NFL is transitioning toward the 2026 NFL Draft. One of the great spectacles in sports will be broadcast live. The king of American sports has made its product feel nearly invincible due to its immense value and demand.

That doesn’t mean the NFL isn’t without backlash. In recent years, the league has negotiated extremely lucrative contracts with streaming services.

https://www.thebiglead.com/fcc-sends-a- ... ure-plans/

[ZoWie]

It's not just the NFL, although as the big kid in the room, it will always get the most attention.

The Dodgers went to a pay service at least 10 years ago. Probably longer. F1 now requires that you contract with Apple TV, providing they even support your hardware, which they often don't. Left to run its course, this process will definitely end up with every sports league requiring yet another monthly bill to see.

[ap215]

FYI: Roger Goodell is a conservative and his wife works for Fox News so grab the popcorn on this one

Justice Department investigating the NFL over subscription fee concerns, sources says

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has opened an investigation into whether the NFL is forcing football fans to pay too much in subscription fees, according to two sources familiar with the investigation.

In years past, football fans watched NFL games over broadcast TV, delivered free into their homes. The 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act allowed for sports leagues to get around some antitrust concerns and negotiate media rights. But now, games are spread across many different platforms and channels, and some require paid subscriptions to access.

https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/nfl/just ... rcna267454

[ZoWie]

See my comments made elsewhere for what I think of the sports TV market splintering into a million different subscription TV companies, each one requiring a separate payment. Hint: I don't like it.

[ap215]

NFL defended streaming strategy in meeting with Trump administration regulators, FCC filing shows

NFL executives defended their media rights and streaming strategy in a meeting last week with Trump administration regulators, according to a Federal Communications Commission filing published Wednesday.

The meeting came after the FCC announced it had launched a probe into whether the shift of more NFL games to streaming services was harming American consumers and the broadcast television industry.

https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/nfl/nfl- ... rcna341450

[ZoWie]

Baseball is in a worse state than the NFL. The current thing, at least for teams like the Dodgers and this year's surprising Cubs is that now streamers and cable/net distributors are bidding against each other. You pay to see the games on one network, then when first-place big-market teams meet, suddenly someone else swoops in and outbids them for an upcoming game. Do they reimburse your next month's bill for this implicit breach of contract? Of course not.

The Dodgers vs Cubs are on three different pay channels in three days this weekend. People who paid for the games are now out of luck unless they buy them again from the new boss. You have to live in a big market to understand how bad it's getting. People who had already subscribed to Spectrum in perpetuity to see Dodger games suddenly with only a few hours' notice had to subscribe to Apple TV in perpetuity to see last night's game anyway. Tonight, we're luckier. It's on ESPN, which we already pay for with our basic cable.

I'm dizzy writing this. It sounds like I made it up, but it's true. You see how out of hand this is getting. A real government would address this shitshow instead of helping Netanyahu bomb Iran.