NFL defended streaming strategy in meeting with Trump administration regulators, FCC filing shows

NFLNFL defended streaming strategy in meeting with Trump administration regulators, FCC filing showsNFL executives said 87% of the league's games are still distributed on broadcast television networks — not streaming services.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Davante Adams of the Los Angeles Rams dives with a ball against Josh Jobe of the Seattle Seahawks during the NFC Championship game on Jan. 25.Michael Owens / Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 22, 2026, 1:05 PM EDTBy Daniel ArkinNFL executives defended their media rights and streaming strategy in a meeting last week with Trump administration regulators, according to a Federal Communications Commission filing published Wednesday.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The meeting came after the FCC announced it had launched a probe into whether the shift of more NFL games to streaming services was harming American consumers and the broadcast television industry.The Justice Department has opened a separate investigation into whether the league is forcing viewers to pay too much money for subscription packages.Traditionally, NFL fans could see all games on broadcast TV networks such as ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox for free. But in recent years, the NFL has inked distribution deals with premium streaming services such as Amazon Video and YouTube TV.The meeting last week included Hans Schroeder, the NFL's top media executive, and two advisers to Brendan Carr, the chairman of the FCC, according to the filing published Wednesday.In a 17-page slide presentation outlining the NFL's approach to media rights, the league insisted its distribution strategy is "good for fans," "good for local broadcasters," "good for the game" and "good for teams in all markets."The NFL highlighted that 87% of its games are still carried on broadcast networks, adding that "no other sports league" was "distributing games this way." The regular season vi...