FCC Commissioner Slams NFL's Paywalls

0:00It's April 22nd, from your city to your ears. This is Tampa Bay News today, powered by AI. FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty is speaking out against sports leagues locking games behind paywalls, saying it's hurting fans who just want to watch. Without jumping through hoops, she's zeroing in on the NFL, where catching every game means shelling out for Amazon Prime videos, Thursday night football, peacock, Netflix, and YouTube TVs in FL Sunday ticket, easily topping $1,500 a year, not counting cable or internet fees. Earlier this week in Las Vegas, Trusty shouted out FCC chairman, Brendan Carr, for pointing out that the public interest isn't being served anymore as, these games migrate to streaming. She noted over 8,000 public comments flooding the FCC, with 98% venting frustration over the shift away from free broadcast, TV. Fans are fired up, with a Fox News poll from March showing 72% believe major sports events

1:01should stay free on over the air TV. Many call the NFL's strategy a straight up money grab, especially as costs spiral and even preseason games might go to streamers. Now the Justice Department has kicked off an investigation this month into the NFL's streaming deals. League reps pushback hard, bragging that 87% of gains are still free on broadcast TV, including all in local markets, and last season. Was the most watched since 1989, with regulators circling and fans demanding access, the big question lingers, will the NFL ease up on the paywalls to keep uniting folks through? Sports, or double down on the streaming cash flow?