WASHINGTON — As live sports and event programming increasingly shift to streaming platforms, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has launched a new initiative to maintain free access to live sports on local broadcast television.

The NAB highlighted that on Thanksgiving Day, over 100 million Americans watched their favorite teams on local stations. However, with more events moving behind paywalls, such as the upcoming NFL Christmas games set to stream exclusively on Netflix, concerns are growing about accessibility.

“Fans are frustrated. What was once a simple experience—turning on the TV to watch the game with family—has become complicated by costly streaming subscriptions and multiple login requirements,” said Curtis LeGeyt, NAB president and CEO. “Games that used to air on local broadcast stations are now increasingly controlled by major tech platforms and hidden behind expensive paywalls. This isn’t progress; it’s a challenge. Broadcasters need the opportunity to compete and keep sports accessible for everyone.”

To emphasize the value of sports on broadcast TV, the NAB has introduced Game On, a new website for fans. The site showcases how local stations provide live sports coverage that is universally accessible—no subscription, internet connection, or login required.

The NAB also referenced a national survey of likely voters, which found strong bipartisan support for broadcast sports: 83% of respondents prefer watching games on broadcast TV, compared to just 17% who favor streaming. Additionally, sports accounted for 182 of the top 200 television programs in 2024, representing 91% of the total.

“Broadcasters deliver the games fans love to a wide audience,” LeGeyt added. “To continue providing this public service, we must be able to compete fairly with large tech companies.”

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