Next TMT Talks
Nick Bilton fakes it ‘til he makes it at 60 Minutes, and Dave gets excited about a possible U.S.-vs.-Iran World Cup matchup.

The NFL and Major League Baseball remain under attack by federal regulators, accused by the president, congress, the DOJ and the FCC, among others, of pushing too high the price fans pay to watch games on television, and bewildering them with too many subscription streaming requirements.

Internet disruption in live televised sports has suddenly become a highly politicized — and surprisingly bi-partisan — issue, accentuated by influential lobbyists and Trump-level cronyism.

There’s a rational argument that the leagues are merely following the free market’s evolutionary course. No less than 15 MLB teams now must stream their games locally because video cord-cutting killed their regional sports network. In April, the NFL eloquently argued directly to the FCC that 87% of its games are still broadcast over the air for free. And a recent LightShed Partners analysis revealed that consumers might actually save money with live sports decoupled from linear pay TV.

All of this narrative holds up, but the House Judiciary Committee still summoned NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other NFL and MLB officials to testify Wednesday. They’ll be asked to explain why the leagues still deserve anti-trust exemptions conferred under the 1961 Broadcast TV Act, at a time when IP streaming is now the primary way they interact with their fans.

Witnesses set to testify at the hearings, chaired by U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a former college wrestling coach, also include right-wing social-media influencer Clay Travis. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) — who egged on the streaming revolution a decade ago while lambasting cable companies over exploitive video pricing — will be there in spirit.

Also on hand but not speaking under oath will be members of a powerful industry lobby that could actually bring some much-needed credibility to a debate that has, until now, seemed fairly unserious.