Restaurant Groups Urge Lawmakers to Probe 2026 NFL Sunday Ticket Shift to Streaming
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 14
Restaurant Groups Urge Lawmakers to Probe 2026 NFL Sunday Ticket Shift to Streaming
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 14
Iowa and Wisconsin restaurant associations asked Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Scott Fitzgerald to intervene, warning EverPass’s exclusive commercial rights for the 2026 season could hit bars’ busiest Sunday revenue window.
20 or more screens in a typical sports bar make the switch especially risky, the groups said, because streaming can bring buffering, out-of-sync feeds and broadband demands that many smaller venues cannot handle without upgrades.
Those technical problems are paired with new costs: businesses that already bought satellite equipment may need fresh hardware and more internet capacity, while still keeping other systems for local broadcasts and leagues such as MLB, NBA and NHL.
The letters also question whether the arrangement complies with antitrust law under the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act and call for transition protections, accountability standards and congressional oversight of the NFL and EverPass.
EverPass has pitched the move as a "modern era" with business-grade reliability and dedicated support, while the NFL declined comment on the associations’ complaints.
Is the NFL's streaming mandate a modern upgrade or a move that sidelines the small businesses that built its Sunday empire?
As the NFL moves behind a new paywall, could antitrust challenges unravel the league’s decades-old control over sports broadcasting?
The 2026 NFL Sunday Ticket Move: Streaming-Only Access, Industry Disruption, and the Fight for Sports Viewing Rights
Overview
In 2026, the NFL Sunday Ticket will move to a streaming-only model for bars, restaurants, and other businesses, ending DIRECTV’s long-standing role as the exclusive distributor. This shift follows the NFL’s earlier decision to move residential Sunday Ticket rights to YouTube and YouTube TV, reflecting the broader decline of traditional cable and satellite TV in the U.S. By embracing streaming, the NFL is adapting to changing consumer habits and asserting greater control over its content distribution. EverPass Media will take over as the new distributor, marking a major change in how commercial venues access and show NFL games.