The U.S. Justice Department has launched an investigation into the National Football League's broadcast and streaming rights practices, probing potential anticompetitive effects that harm consumer affordability and provider competition. The inquiry, amid fan and lawmaker complaints over rising subscription costs for exclusive games, scrutinizes the league's shift to digital platforms while leveraging its antitrust exemptions.
First reported by The Wall Street Journal, the probe was detailed further by an anonymous government official to CBS News, who said it centers on 'affordability for consumers and creating an even playing field for providers.' During the 2025-2026 season, 20 games were exclusive to streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, and Peacock—including two Christmas Day matchups on Netflix—forcing fans to manage multiple subscriptions. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, estimated in a March letter to the Justice Department that watching every game cost nearly $1,000 last season and urged review of the NFL's exemptions under the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act. That law granted antitrust protections for collective TV deals when games aired primarily on free over-the-air television, but critics argue modern streaming paywalls may violate it, especially as the NFL eyes more digital partnerships and plans to opt out of some broadcast contracts after 2029.
The NFL defended its model in a Thursday statement, calling it 'the most fan- and broadcaster-friendly in sports and entertainment.' The league emphasized that over 87% of games air on free broadcast television, 100% are available locally in competing teams' markets, and the 2025 season achieved its highest viewership since 1989, claiming 83 of the top 100 U.S. telecasts. Federal scrutiny has grown: the FCC sought public comments on streaming shifts in February, and Sen. Lee also contacted the FTC.
Meanwhile, the NFL is renegotiating major deals, including Paramount's Sunday package (currently ~$2.1 billion annually via CBS), which could rise 50-60% to over $3 billion post-merger with Skydance Media. Current pacts with CBS, NBC, and Fox expire in 2033 or 2034.
