Sports Broadcasting Act

The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 is a U.S. law that allows sports leagues, like the NFL or NBA, to create exclusive television packages for their games. These leagues can negotiate and sell the rights together, preventing local or regional broadcasters from doing so independently. The law aims to protect the leagues’ ability to generate revenue from broadcasting rights while balancing the interests of fans who want access to games. It also permits joint selling of broadcast rights, which can lead to more organized and lucrative sports broadcasting arrangements.