The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is launching an inquiry into the escalating costs of watching the NFL, as live sports increasingly shift from broadcast television to streaming services. This move by the FCC comes amid major sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, and MLB, migrating numerous games to digital platforms.
The NFL, for instance, has secured a $1 billion annual deal with Amazon for "Thursday Night Football." Historically, the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act, which allowed for local game blackouts, applied only to broadcast television and does not extend to cable, satellite, or streaming.
For the 2025 season, fans faced costs of at least $575, with some nearing $800, to access all games. This includes subscriptions for platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Peacock, and ESPN's streaming service, in addition to NFL Sunday Ticket. The price for NFL Sunday Ticket alone ranged from $276 for new subscribers to $480 for existing users without a YouTube TV membership. Additional costs applied for services like NFL RedZone.
While prices for the 2026 season are expected to be similar, limited-time offers are available for NFL Sunday Ticket, with new subscribers potentially paying $192 through YouTube TV. The FCC's probe aims to address consumer pain points associated with this streaming transition.