U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Rips NFL For 2026 Holiday Schedule

As the NFL continues to push high-profile games away from basic channels on Sundays and into more and more weekday events, often on subscription services, more politicians are trying to stop the league in its tracks.

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin recently introduced the For the Fans Act, which would mandate the NFL to provide a free, live option for fans to watch the team play from their home.

On Wednesday, as the NFL approaches its schedule release and with dozens of games already confirmed - including a Packers game on Thanksgiving Eve only available on Netflix - Senator Baldwin released a statement calling for the bill to be passed.

"As the cost of just about everything continues to rise, the NFL is once again asking Wisconsinites to spend their hard-earned money on another streaming service. Enough is enough. My For the Fans Act would stop this exact scenario and prevent Wisconsin families from being forced to pay for Netflix just to watch the Packers play this Thanksgiving," Senator Baldwin's statement said.

"For the Fans"

Per her U.S. Senate website, the For the Fans Act requires "free viewing access for local fans and ending blackouts on league-owned streaming services, like NBA League Pass or MLB.tv. The bill applies to professional baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and soccer leagues. The bill makes an exception for minor league teams and leagues with fewer than eight teams."

The website further notes that polling shows "overwhelming majorities of Americans" support the bill.

There has been some pushback and outright dismissal of the For the Fans Act. One of the central arguments is the idea that entertainment is a right that can be granted or guaranteed by the government in the first place. Since NFL games are a product, the NFL should be able to sell it however they want - for better or for worse.

Even going beyond the simple legal argument, the localized blackout rule has been a tool used by the league for ages in order to discourage local fans from watching from home instead of going to the stadium to watch the game.

Simply put, Baldwin has to show a lot more than simply what Americans want if she wants the For the Fans Act to pass, let alone survive legal challenges.

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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 11:47 AM.