Full Breakdown
Streaming Access and Choice Alliance: New Lobbying Front for Sports Streaming
By Drooid · · How we work
Formation of the Alliance
Netflix, Amazon and YouTube announced the creation of the Streaming Access and Choice Alliance (SACA), a Washington, D.C.–based coalition organized under the tech-industry trade group TechNet. Leadership of the lobbying effort is assigned to Mike Ward, senior vice president of federal policy and government relations at TechNet.
Political Landscape and Regulatory Scrutiny
The launch comes amid heightened congressional and agency attention to the migration of sports broadcasting from over-the-air TV to subscription streaming. Earlier this year, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) introduced legislation intended to stop “blackouts” and require leagues to provide local fans with a single, free access point for all games. Baldwin’s calculations estimate that Wisconsin fans would need to spend more than $1,500 annually to watch all Packers, Brewers and Bucks games across multiple services. In June, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, labeling the law a “special-interest antitrust exemption gone awry.” Simultaneously, the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission opened an inquiry into whether the 1961 exemption remains appropriate as games shift behind paywalls, with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr expressing concern that the exemption may be accelerating that shift.
Official Statements & Responses
“Americans want more content choices and flexibility in how and where they watch their favorite programming, including sports and other live events,” — Mike Ward, senior VP of federal policy and government relations at TechNet
Data and Market Stakes
The alliance reports that the volume of sports content on major global subscription streaming services has risen by 52 % since January 2024. Each of the three founding companies holds exclusive NFL game rights for the current season, and executives are reportedly budgeting between $1.5 billion and $2 billion to bid for U.S. broadcast rights to the 2030 and 2034 FIFA World Cups.
Potential Impact on Sports Broadcasting Policy
By uniting the three largest technology-driven streamers, SACA aims to give the sector a focused voice in Washington as regulators reconsider the antitrust exemption that has long protected league-wide media-rights deals. If lawmakers adopt Baldwin’s proposal or modify the 1961 Act, the alliance’s advocacy could shape how live-sports packages are priced and distributed, potentially preserving the ability of streaming platforms to invest in broader sports programming while addressing consumer-cost concerns.