Senator Cruz Scrutinizes NFL’s Broadcasting Practices, Citing Potential Violation of Sports Broadcasting Act
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas has raised concerns about the National Football League’s (NFL) broadcasting practices, suggesting that the league may be skirting the edges of the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. Cruz voiced his concerns during the Senate Commerce Committee’s "Field of Streams" hearing, which focused on the evolving landscape of sports broadcasting.
The Sports Broadcasting Act (SBA), enacted over six decades ago, was designed to prevent professional sports leagues from monopolizing broadcast schedules and potentially overshadowing high school and college football games. A key provision of the SBA restricts the NFL from broadcasting games on Friday nights and Saturdays between the second weekend of September and the second weekend of December. This restriction is intended to safeguard the schedules and viewership of amateur football.
Cruz emphasized that the NFL’s recent ventures into broadcasting games on Black Friday have raised eyebrows and stoked anxieties. The Black Friday slot traditionally belonged to prominent college football rivalries, including the classic Texas versus Texas A&M game, a staple of his childhood memories. By encroaching upon this time slot, the NFL is potentially disrupting the viewing habits of sports fans who enjoy following high school, college, and professional football without having to make difficult choices between competing games.
"The NFL has tiptoed up to this rule, now putting a game on streaming on Black Friday afternoon, which used to be a slot reserved for prominent college football rivalries," Cruz stated, underscoring the concern that the league is exploiting its special exemption under the SBA to the detriment of college and high school football.
The SBA explicitly excludes antitrust protection for the NFL if it broadcasts games on Friday nights or Saturdays during the mid-September to mid-December window. This stipulation is intended to protect the interests of high school and college football programs and their dedicated fan bases, many of whom are also avid NFL followers.
Cruz argued that the original intent of the SBA was to ensure that amateur football leagues would not be overshadowed or financially harmed by the professional league’s broadcasting clout. By broadcasting games on Black Friday, the NFL is arguably inching closer to the line and potentially undermining the spirit of the SBA.
Adding fuel to the fire, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell declined to attend the Senate Commerce Committee hearing. This absence was particularly notable, given the importance of the issues being discussed and the potential implications for the league’s future broadcasting practices. Instead, Goodell was at the White House to announce that the 2027 NFL Draft will be held in Washington, D.C. His absence was a glaring signal to many.
The hearing included testimonies from other sports industry leaders, including MLB executive vice president of media and business development Kenny Gersh, NBA president of global content and media distribution William Koenig, and NHL executive vice president of media and international strategy David Proper.
Cruz’s remarks highlight a growing concern that the NFL’s increasing dominance in the sports broadcasting landscape could potentially stifle the growth and popularity of amateur football. As the NFL continues to expand its reach and explore new broadcasting avenues, it is crucial that the league remains mindful of the SBA and its original intent, ensuring that high school and college football programs are not adversely affected.
The Sports Broadcasting Act was put in place because the NFL in the early 1960’s was not the juggernaut it is today. College football was the dominant sport. The legislators understood that they had to protect the amateur leagues from professional leagues. The NFL’s popularity continued to grow but the agreements were kept in place.
However, today the NFL is a dominant sports, entertainment, and media company. Each team is worth billions of dollars. The league itself is worth many billions of dollars. The college game has changed. It generates its own large amounts of revenue. Games are broadcast on many different networks. The top coaches are paid millions of dollars. Many players earn money through their name, image, and likeness. But the small college and high school games are still very important. They are important to the local communities. They are a source of civic pride. They are the games that bring people together. That is what Senator Cruz is trying to protect.
The focus on streaming games is also an important point. The NFL and other leagues are moving many games to streaming platforms. This has implications for who has access to these games. It creates an uneven playing field for sports fans. Not everyone can afford streaming subscriptions. Not everyone has reliable access to the internet. It also affects advertising revenue for the broadcasters. The "Field of Streams" hearing is meant to address these very points and discuss the future of sports broadcasts.
The Sports Broadcasting Act may need to be updated to reflect the changes in the sports broadcasting industry. That is also a conversation that the senators need to have.
