Goodell invited to testify at Sports Broadcasting Act Hearing
House Judiciary Committee invites Roger Goodell to testify at hearing on Sports Broadcasting Act
The government continues to turn the screws on the NFL, regarding the broadcast antitrust exemption created by the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.
Via Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, the House Judiciary Committee will conduct a hearing on Wednesday, June 10 entitled “Examining the Sports Broadcasting Act.” The committee has asked Commissioner Roger Goodell to attend and testify.
“In particular, this hearing will examine the ways in which the distribution of professional sports has evolved since the SBA was first enacted 65 years ago,” Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) wrote in a June 1, 2026, letter to Goodell. “It will also examine the extent to which the antitrust exemption created by the SBA has been used by the professional sports leagues to harm consumers and whether potential legislative remedies may be needed to address that harm. Please be prepared to summarize your testimony with a five-minute opening statement and answer questions posed by Subcommittee members.”
The letter requests that Goodell inform the Committee by June 3 whether he intends to appear.
In August 2025, the Judiciary Committee informed Goodell that it is examining the Sports Broadcasting Act.
Two questions have emerged regarding the broadcast antitrust exemption created by the SBA. First, whether the league’s sale of TV packages to streamers violates the terms of the exemption. Second, whether the exemption should be eliminated.
The stakes are very high for the NFL. The exemption allows the NFL to bundle all rights together. Without it, the teams would sell their own TV rights.
That would create a massive disparity in revenue, between teams like the Cowboys and teams that have far less national appeal. In turn, the salary cap could implode. In time, the NFL could separate into two leagues — one with the teams having large followings, and one with the rest.
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