NFL Defends TV Strategy Amid FCC Scrutiny

The National Football League (NFL) is standing by its television broadcast strategy as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assesses the increasing movement of live sports to pay TV and subscription services. On Friday, the NFL met with FCC representatives, reinforcing that over 87% of its games are aired on free broadcast TV, while all local market games can be viewed over-the-air.

Describing this model as advantageous for fans, local broadcasters, and the competitive spirit of the game, the NFL highlighted that 86 of the top 100 TV programs in 2025 were NFL games. The League strategically selects games weekly to offer the most engaging content to each broadcast market, with Sunday Night Football on Comcast's NBC leading primetime for 15 years.

Broadcast station owners like Fox Corp and Sinclair have called on the FCC to address Big Tech's acquisition of sports broadcasting rights, arguing it could undermine local news. Affiliates of CBS, NBC, FOX, and ABC also urged the FCC to ensure marquee sports remain free-to-watch, amidst concern over the shift toward subscription-based streaming services.