Ohio Lawmaker Goes After Streaming Giants Over Sports Access
An Ohio lawmaker is pushing back against streaming giants over access to professional sports games. Watching your favorite team now requires more planning and more money than ever before.
Bill DeMora says fans are getting squeezed as leagues spread games across multiple platforms. He argues that companies are locking key matchups behind paywalls that many viewers cannot easily access. DeMora is now exploring legislation that would limit or prevent exclusive streaming rights for professional sports.
The proposal is still in its early stages and has not been formally introduced. Legal experts say any bill would face serious challenges tied to broadcast rights and interstate commerce laws. Because of that, the chances of it passing in its current form remain low without significant revisions.
DeMora has already taken a similar approach with college sports. He introduced a bill aimed at limiting streaming exclusives for publicly funded universities, and that measure reached the hearing stage. However, expanding that idea to professional leagues would likely bring stronger legal pushback from media companies and sports organizations.
The issue has become more visible during the 2026 NBA Playoffs, where fans must piece together several services to watch every game. National broadcasts still air on ABC and ESPN, but some matchups stream exclusively on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Peacock. That forces viewers to jump between apps just to follow a single playoff series.
For many fans, the cost adds up quickly. A typical setup includes a live TV service for cable channels, plus at least one or two streaming subscriptions. Monthly costs can range between $80 and $120, and full access across leagues can climb even higher over time.
DeMora says the current system creates unnecessary barriers for fans who have supported these teams for years. Still, streaming continues to grow as leagues chase larger media deals. Any real change would require lawmakers to challenge powerful tech companies and long-standing broadcast agreements.
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