Chapman Law Review
Abstract
The next frontier of sports broadcasting is here. Media consumption has shifted dramatically in recent years. Streaming services have become the preferred medium for television shows and movies, and sports broadcasts have expanded beyond traditional cable to streaming services. Given this reconfiguration of public behavior, the Sports Broadcasting Act (SBA)—a 1961 exemption to antitrust law—should be construed to allow the National Football League (NFL) to collectively negotiate with streaming providers like Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, and Netflix.
The SBA exempts joint agreements between professional sports leagues and broadcasters from antitrust scrutiny when those agreements involve the “sponsored telecasting” of games. This Note argues that the SBA should be read to encompass modern streaming platforms, thereby permitting the NFL to negotiate collective, league-wide deals with streaming services. The legislature intended to provide an expansive view of the SBA when procompetitive benefits, such as preserved on-field competitive balance, necessitate such a view.
This Note examines how the SBA’s statutory language should apply to streaming services and modern technology by analyzing consumer behavior and today’s sports media market. This Note explores why “sponsored telecasting” should be read to include subscription-based, internet-only delivery in 2026, a question prior articles have not squarely addressed. Finally, this Note provides recommendations for the NFL to continue working with streaming providers while protecting consumers from the growing costs associated with fragmented sports broadcasting.
Recommended Citation
Jack Mays,
The NFL’s Collision with Antitrust Law: A Strategy for Defending the National Football League’s Joint Agreements with Streaming Providers,
29
Chap. L. Rev.
421
(2026).
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/chapman-law-review/vol29/iss2/5