Fans Are Pissed: Paywalls Are About Exclusion

• Broadcasters urge FCC to keep live sports on free over-the-air TV

Filings in the FCC’s sports broadcasting docket are pressing the agency to use its authority to ensure live sports remain available on free broadcast television, with broadcasters arguing the current system must be protected to avoid harming viewers and local news.

Reply comments filed in MB Docket No. 26-45 came from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), E.W. Scripps Company, Cox Media Group, the Southeastern Conference, and a joint filing by affiliate associations representing more than 700 local ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC stations.

The FCC’s Media Bureau opened the proceeding in February, seeking public input on sports broadcasting practices and market changes. More than 8,600 comments have been filed as of mid-April.

The NAB led the reply round, stating the record clearly shows broadcast television should remain “the lifeblood of the live sports ecosystem.”

The group highlighted thousands of supportive comments from viewers, local officials, labor organizations, and nonprofits. It cited viewership data showing strong audiences for sports on broadcast, such as 10.78 million viewers for a World Baseball Classic game on Fox and nearly 50% higher viewership for Friday night college basketball on broadcast versus NBA games on streaming.

The NAB called the Consumer Technology Association’s argument for streaming “totally unserious,” accusing it of prioritizing device sales over consumer access. It labeled claims from the International Center for Law and Economics that local news does not depend on broadcasting as “downright foolish.”

• Cost and access concerns dominate

Multiple filings emphasized the high cost of accessing sports on streaming platforms. NAB and the affiliate associations noted that subscribing to every service carrying NFL games can cost up to $1,500 per year.

They also raised issues of unequal access. NAB cited U.S. Census data showing 19.3% of Americans earning below $20,000 lack internet subscriptions. Cox Media Group warned that lower-income, elderly, and rural households face exclusion when sports move off broadcast.

Filings repeatedly connected sports programming revenue to the survival of local news. NAB cited data showing $17.7 billion in national ad spending on linear TV sports and $6.7 billion from the NFL alone on broadcast networks. It warned that shifting NFL games off broadcast could collapse local broadcasting, harming local news and amateur sports coverage.

The joint filing from ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC affiliate associations called for specific FCC actions:Confirm local stations’ right to preempt network programming for local and regional sports without harming network ties.