Most Americans — especially sports fans — say major sporting events should remain on free broadcast television rather than being locked behind streaming paywalls, according to a new Fox News national survey.
The poll of registered voters finds broad, bipartisan-style agreement on the issue: 72% of sports fans and 60% of non-fans believe marquee games should stay on free TV. By contrast, only 27% of fans and 38% of non-fans support allowing leagues to move games exclusively to paid streaming platforms.
The shift toward subscription services is already changing viewing habits — and pricing many fans out. Nearly six in ten sports fans report skipping at least a few games over the past year because watching them was too expensive. About one-third say this has happened “many times,” underscoring how rising costs are becoming a consistent barrier rather than an occasional inconvenience.
Despite these frustrations, sports remain a central part of American life. Nearly three-quarters of registered voters (73%) identify as sports fans, highlighting the widespread impact of ongoing changes in how games are distributed and consumed.
The FCC has launched a public inquiry into the growing shift of live sports programming from free, over-the-air broadcast television to subscription-based streaming services, seeking comments from the public on how this trend affects consumers, broadcasters, and access to local news.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, the inquiry highlights concerns over marketplace fragmentation, where fans increasingly need multiple paid subscriptions, potentially costing over $1,500 annually for full NFL coverage in some estimates, to watch games that once aired freely on broadcast TV.
The comment period runs through March 27, 2026, with reply comments due by April 13.