Goodell Asked to Testify on NFL Antitrust Exemption Before Congress

Goodell Asked to Testify on NFL Antitrust Exemption Before Congress

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has requested NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell appear before Congress on June 10, 2026, to answer questions about whether the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 has been used by professional sports leagues to harm consumers. The hearing, scheduled for 10:00 a.m. in room 2141 of the Rayburn House Office Building, will examine how the league’s antitrust exemption operates in a broadcast marketplace that has shifted significantly toward paid streaming platforms. The invitation is not a subpoena, and Goodell has been asked to confirm his intentions by June 3.

The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 grants professional sports leagues a limited antitrust exemption that permits teams to pool their television rights and negotiate broadcast contracts collectively rather than individually. That exemption has underpinned the NFL’s ability to sign media-rights agreements across multiple partners simultaneously. The league’s current deals, running through the 2033 season, are reported to be worth more than $110 billion in total. Consumer complaints have centered on the growing number of games carried exclusively by subscription-based streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Peacock, which require fees beyond a standard cable or antenna setup.

The House Judiciary Committee’s scrutiny arrives alongside parallel reviews by the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice into whether leagues are operating within the original boundaries of the 1961 law. The NFL has previously argued before the FCC that its model remains broadly accessible, citing that approximately 87 percent of its games are broadcast on over-the-air or basic-cable television. For the upcoming season, Amazon Prime Video holds exclusive national rights to a Black Friday game and 15 Thursday Night Football matchups, while Netflix carries two Christmas Day games and Peacock streams one exclusive regular-season contest.

Jordan’s letter states that Goodell should be prepared to deliver a five-minute opening statement and respond to questions from subcommittee members. An NFL spokesman had not responded to a request for comment on whether Goodell intends to appear. The hearing also opens the possibility of legislative remedies, with the committee’s letter explicitly stating that potential changes to the law may be examined if harm to consumers is established.