Justice Department opens investigation into NFL for 'anticompetitive' practices

The investigation launched after the Justice Department heard recent concerns by media companies, members of Congress, consumers and regulators. The crux of the complaint is that the NFL has agreed to media deals with partners that stretch beyond the reach of major networks and ESPN, citing the difficulty fans have in watching games on television.

Basic cable no longer is enough. In the 2026-27 season, some NFL games will stream exclusively on Netflix, Prime Video, Peacock and additional outlets, all of which require a paid subscription. The number of games going to nontraditional outlets is growing.

Prime Video, for example, took over the Thursday night package of games in 2022 and since has gained the rights to action on Black Friday and Christmas, as well as a playoff game.

The league issued a statement defending how the games are shown.

"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," a league spokesperson said, per The Athletic. "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."

At issue for the Justice Department is looking at whether the NFL has violated the Sports Broadcast Act of 1961, which gives the NFL an antitrust exemption concerning the negotiation of media rights.

The exemption allows the league to negotiate the rights on behalf of all 32 teams instead of the teams doing it themselves. By negotiating in bulk, the NFL can make sure teams get close to equal revenues and create financial parity among teams in major media markets, such as Los Angeles and New York, and smaller ones, such as Buffalo and Green Bay.

The NFL currently is in renegotiations about media rights with providers, The Athletic reported.

Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, told the New York Post last month that consumers could pay as much as $1,500 a year for access to every football game. He added that if too many games are sent to streaming services, the league could lose the exemption.