Ted Cruz puts the NFL's broadcasting schedule on notice during streaming hearing

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, had pointed words for the NFL astatine the commencement of the Senate Commerce Committee’s "Field of Streams" proceeding connected Tuesday.

Cruz suggested the NFL has travel adjacent to breaking the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which was established to support the nonrecreational league from infringing connected the schedules of precocious schoolhouse and assemblage shot games.

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Sen. Ted Cruz speaks astatine the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Feb. 20, 2025, successful Oxon Hill, Maryland. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

The NFL is technically barred from broadcasting games connected Friday nighttime done Saturday, starting from the 2nd play successful September done the 2nd play of December, according to Pro Football Talk.

Cruz called it a interest that the league has been capable to broadcast games connected Black Friday implicit the past 2 years.

"One increasing interest is that the NFL has utilized its peculiar exemption successful the SBA to the vexation of assemblage and precocious schoolhouse shot schedules," helium said. "For example, the SBA explicitly excludes antitrust extortion for the NFL if broadcasting a crippled connected a Friday nighttime oregon a Saturday betwixt mid-September to mid-December. That’s to support the interests of precocious schoolhouse and assemblage football, and ultimately, their fans, who are nary uncertainty besides followers of the NFL.

Sen. Ted Cruz speaks astatine a property league connected Jan. 25, 2023. (FOX Business)

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"The NFL has tiptoed up to this rule, present putting a crippled connected streaming connected Black Friday afternoon, which utilized to beryllium a slot reserved for salient assemblage shot rivalries, including successful immoderate years, erstwhile I was a kid, Texas versus Texas A&M. There are millions of sports fans who similar being capable to travel precocious school, college, and nonrecreational shot without having to take among them. And it’s partially wherefore Congress wrote the SBA successful the mode it did."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell declined to be the hearing, Puck reported successful April. He was astatine the White House connected Monday to assistance denote that the 2027 NFL Draft volition instrumentality spot successful Washington, D.C.

Fox News Digital asked the NFL for comment.

Commissioner Roger Goodell motions connected signifier during the 2nd circular of the NFL Draft, April 25, 2025, successful Green Bay, Wisconsin. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

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MLB enforcement vice president of media and concern improvement Kenny Gersh, NBA president of planetary contented and media organisation William Koenig and NHL enforcement vice president of media and planetary strategy David Proper were among the witnesses astatine the hearing.

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