An admission control resource tracks identities of multiple clients in a network environment that share use of a network resource to retrieve content at the same or different adaptive bit rates. The admission control resource further monitors status information indicating an ability of each of the multiple clients to retrieve content at the same or different adaptive bit rates over the shared network resource. Based at least in part on the status information, the admission control resource controls use of the shared network resource by new clients. In other words, as its name suggests, the admission control resource as discussed herein selectively limits how many subscribers are able to use a shared network resource depending on feedback from one or more clients that currently use the shared network resource to retrieve the content at the same or different adaptive bit rates.