Powerful House panel blasts NFLs overstretched, 1960s-era antitrust exemption in heated missive
The House Judiciary Committee blasted the NFL for abusing its 1960s-era antitrust exemption – urging it to revamp its media model and make it easier for football fans to watch their favorite teams, according to a scathing new report released Monday.The powerful congressional panel warned the NFL could face substantial legal scrutiny and antitrust challenges around its broadcast rights deals, calling the model “a house of cards built on an overstretched antitrust exemption,” according to a copy of the heated missive obtained by The Post. The committee and its chairman Jim Jordan argued that the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 was created to keep games widely available on television and “stave off the league’s impending financial collapse” – but instead it has become a tool to hide more games behind streaming paywalls.“Today, for consumers to watch broadcast NFL games, they must navigate a complicated and expensive web of television agreements and rules,” the report said – adding that some fans cough up more than $600 to watch their favorite team over an entire season.Fox News earlier reported on the document.It specifically took aim at the Sunday Ticket, a $480 sports package that the NFL markets as a special product for the avid football fan who wants to watch as many games as possible. But the Judiciary Committee claimed over 70% of former Sunday Ticket subscribers said they bought the TV package to “watch my favorite team, which is out of market” – and when asked why they canceled, a whopping 70% said it was because the product was too expensive.It also referenced evidence from an ongoing Sunday Ticket antitrust case, in which a 2024 jury verdict found the NFL violated antitrust law and awarded nearly $5 billion in damages to plaintiffs.The verdict was overturned by a judge.ESPN had allegedly suggested a Sunday Ticket package priced at just $70 a head, as well as a purchase option that would allow fans to select just certain teams – ...