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NFL Defends Streaming Strategy to FCC

Wall Street Journal US Business •
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The NFL met with Federal Communications Commission officials to defend its media-rights strategy as regulators scrutinize the league's migration to streaming platforms. The meeting, requested by the league, came after the FCC launched a probe into how the changing sports-media landscape affects consumers and broadcast television.

The session included Hans Schroeder, the NFL's top media executive who oversees licensing games to media partners. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who has publicly criticized sports leagues, greeted officials before turning the meeting over to his advisers. The league's proactive approach signals concern about potential regulatory intervention in its lucrative broadcasting deals.

This defensive posture follows the Justice Department's separate investigation into sports leagues' streaming pivot and its marketplace impact. The NFL's aggressive media-rights strategy has generated billions in revenue, but the shift from traditional television to streaming services raises questions about accessibility and consumer costs. The league's meeting with federal regulators suggests it views the streaming transition as vulnerable to government scrutiny.