NAB Launches Website on Broadcast Sports as Part of Deregulation Push
NAB has created a website, Game On, to highlight sports events airing on broadcast TV rather than on streaming services or MVPD networks, the group said in a news release Thursday. The site appears to be aimed at making the case for eliminating broadcast-ownership limits. “Big Tech giants like Amazon and Netflix, with their vast resources, can outbid broadcasters to get sports leagues to air games on their pay-to-watch platforms. This takes games off local TV stations that air them for free and makes it increasingly hard for fans to tune in,” the release said.
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“Broadcasters bring the games fans love to the masses,” NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt said in the release. “But if we are going to be able to deliver this public service in the future, we must be able to compete on a level playing field with Big Tech behemoths.” The Game On website includes a prominent link to an online form for sending a message to congressional lawmakers on supporting broadcasters. "Games that once aired on local broadcast stations are increasingly gobbled up by Big Tech platforms, hidden behind paywalls that come with steep monthly bills," the release said. "That is not progress, it is a problem."