The FCC Commissioner Is Siding With Frustrated U.S. Sports Fans
As the NFL and other major sports leagues try to squeeze the absolute maximum amount of money out of their broadcast partners, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is getting increasingly frustrated. FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty recently addressed the issue.
In a recent conference, Trusty reiterated FCC chairman Brendan Carr's assertion that "public interest is no longer being served" and suggested that the NFL might not need government anti-trust protections if it intends to operate in such a manner. She said that the FCC has received thousands of comments and complaints, nearly all of which express frustration over how difficult it is becoming to watch certain teams.
"Indeed, more than 8,000 people have submitted comments at the FCC - with 98% of those comments expressing frustration with the streaming migration trend and their hope that broadcast will remain the pre-eminent platform for watching their favorite team," Trusty said, via Fox News. "Getting broadcast policy right includes empowering broadcasters to respond to this widely felt consumer need and ensure broadcasters' continued ability to serve local communities not only through sports but other programming, as well."
A Game of Chess
But the NFL has no intentions of backing down from its plans. In the wake of an investigation by the Justice Department into its use of streaming services, an NFL spokesperson told Fox News Digital that its distribution model is "the most fan and broadcaster-friendly in the entire sports and entertainment industry."
"The NFL's media distribution model is the most fan and broadcaster-friendly in the entire sports and entertainment industry," the spokesperson said. "With over 87% of our games on free, broadcast television, including 100% of games in the markets of the competing teams, the NFL has for decades put our fans front and center in how we distribute our content.
"The 2025 season was our most viewed since 1989 and reflects the strength of the NFL distribution model and its wide availability to all fans."
The future of the NFL's distribution model seems increasingly likely to be decided in a courtroom rather than a boardroom.
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This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 12:56 PM.