The Justice Department has opened an investigation into the NFL. According to the Wall Street Journal, the investigation accuses the league of engaging in anticompetitive tactics that have harmed consumers.
It all comes back to the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. That act changed antitrust laws to allow professional sports teams to pool their broadcasting rights and sign league-exclusive contracts. It also limited the days, times and locations where pro football games could be played. It’s a law that made sense in the ’60s when there were three broadcast networks, but the streaming era means there are more options than ever to air games. And as we’ve seen throughout the years, more options often mean bigger bidding wars, more money for the NFL and more frustration from fans who just want to watch their team.
“The NFL’s media distribution model is the most fan and broadcaster-friendly in the entire sports and entertainment industry,” the league responded on Thursday. “With over 87% of our games on free, broadcast television, including 100% of games in the markets of the competing teams, the NFL has for decades put our fans front and center in how we distribute our content. The 2025 season was our most viewed since 1989 and reflects the strength of the NFL distribution model and its wide availability to all fans.”
This investigation isn’t exactly a shock. Back in February, the Federal Communications Commission sought public comment about how the NFL’s current packaging system has impacted viewers. Then, last month, chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights Mike Lee sent a letter to the DOJ and Federal Trade Commission. In that letter, he called for a review of the antitrust exception that the league currently holds.
“To watch every NFL game during this past season, football fans spent almost $1,000 on cable and streaming subscriptions. In practice, this requires subscribing to multiple streaming services and maintaining high-speed Internet in addition to a traditional cable or satellite bundle,” Lee wrote. “The resulting fragmentation has produced consumer confusion and increasing costs for viewers attempting to watch their teams.”
News of this investigation comes after NFL and CBS began talks on a renewal deal in March. That deal could lead to a 50% increase for CBS, which could cost the network $1 billion more per year. CBS currently pays about $2.1 billion a year for NFL rights, according to CNBC. If CBS agrees to that price hike, the NFL would eliminate the opt-out clause of the contract after the 2029-30 season; a clause that allows the league to walk away has been part of that deal since the two entities signed an 11-year agreement, which runs through the 2034 season.
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