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A new nationwide survey has revealed overwhelming bipartisan opposition to efforts by major technology firms to move live sports exclusively onto paid streaming platforms, with voters insisting that games remain accessible on free broadcast television.
The poll, released by the Article III Project, shows that Americans across political, demographic, and geographic lines are united in their concern over the growing dominance of paid streaming services in sports broadcasting.
According to the survey, conducted by OnMessage Inc., a striking 93 percent of likely voters said it is important that live sports broadcasts can be interrupted to deliver emergency alerts such as tornado warnings. The finding highlights growing public anxiety over the potential loss of critical public safety messaging if sports content migrates fully behind paywalls.
In addition, 84 percent of respondents said National Football League games should either remain on free-to-air television or be available on both free and subscription platforms. Only one percent supported making live sports exclusive to paid streaming services.
The survey also underscores the financial burden facing sports fans. By 2025, watching every NFL game reportedly required multiple subscriptions costing as much as $1,500 annually, according to estimates from the Federal Communications Commission.
Beyond affordability, concerns are mounting over the survival of local broadcasting. More than half of respondents — 51 percent — expressed worry that local television stations could struggle to fund news and emergency coverage if they lose rights to air major sporting events like NFL games.
Speaking on the findings, Mike Davis, founder and president of the Article III Project, accused major tech companies of eroding a long-standing public service model.
“Big Tech and the NFL are quietly dismantling the free broadcast infrastructure that American families relied on for generations,” Davis said. “When streaming monopolists control live sports, they also control whether families receive timely emergency warnings.”
Davis further called on regulators, including the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission, as well as state attorneys general, to investigate whether exclusive streaming agreements violate antitrust laws. He also aligned with Mike Lee in urging closer scrutiny of the deals.
The survey, conducted between March 2 and 3, 2026, sampled 1,800 likely voters and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3 percent.
The Article III Project, a conservative legal advocacy group, has been active in defending judicial independence and opposing court reforms it deems outside the mainstream. The organisation was founded by Davis, a former Senate Judiciary Committee counsel who played key roles in the confirmation processes of Supreme Court justices.
The poll’s findings signal a growing public pushback against the commercialisation of live sports broadcasting, with voters warning that the shift to exclusive streaming could have far-reaching economic, civic, and safety implications.
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