Amazon, Netflix and YouTube form Streaming Access and Choice Alliance to lobby Washington on streaming policy and live sports

# What happened

Amazon, Netflix and YouTube announced the Streaming Access and Choice Alliance (SACA) on September 14. TechNet, a trade group representing large technology companies, will run the coalition and Mike Ward, TechNet's senior vice president of federal policy and government relations, will lead SACA.

# What SACA says it will push for

SACA's stated positions are bundled on its website as four policy priorities:

• Forward-looking policies that promote competition and consumer value.

• Rules that allow streaming platforms to keep investing in all programming, including live sports.
• An environment where sports leagues and rights holders can pursue distribution deals.

The coalition frames these policies around consumer choice and flexibility, saying streaming companies offer features and value that deserve a dedicated voice in Washington.

# Why the timing matters

Federal attention on how sports rights are sold has increased this year. The Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission opened an inquiry into the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which allows leagues to pool and sell TV rights together. The inquiry is evaluating whether that antitrust exemption should be revisited given the shift of some rights toward paywalled streaming services. The FCC chair has questioned whether the exemption contributes to too many sports rights moving behind paywalls.

# What SACA cites about streaming trends

On its site SACA lists several figures:

• 99% of US households have at least one streaming service.

• More than 90% of households have broadband.

• Sports content on major global subscription streaming services has grown 52% since January 2024.

The site lists five citations for these figures but does not name the sources directly on the page.

# Background on prior organizing and tensions

Netflix, Amazon and Google (YouTube's parent) belonged to the Internet Association, which dissolved in late 2021. Since then, streamers have joined or worked with other trade groups: Netflix joined the Motion Picture Association in 2021, and streamers have formed issue-specific coalitions when needed. For example, in 2023 several services formed the Streaming Innovation Alliance to respond to broadcaster complaints about a regulatory gap.

# Related regulatory and legal context for founders

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