The Justice Department has opened an antitrust investigation into the National Football League over concerns that its media rights practices may be driving up costs for fans and limiting access to games, according to a source familiar with the matter who confirmed the investigation to the Washington Examiner.
The scope of the inquiry remains unclear, though it appears focused on affordability and fair competition among providers, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
According to sources cited by the outlet, the inquiry is expected to examine whether the league’s current media rights structure exceeds the protections granted under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which allows NFL teams to collectively negotiate television deals — an exception to standard antitrust rules.
That model has come under increasing scrutiny as games have migrated from free broadcast television to a mix of cable and streaming platforms, including Amazon and ESPN, often requiring multiple subscriptions.
The NFL pushed back on concerns Thursday, defending its distribution model and arguing that most games remain widely accessible to fans.
“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. “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.”
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, has been among the most vocal critics. In a March letter to federal regulators, Lee urged a review of the league’s antitrust exemption, arguing that the NFL’s modern distribution system “differs substantially from the conditions that precipitated this exemption.”
Lee reiterated that stance following news of the inquiry, writing on X, “I’m glad they’re tackling this.”
“Instead of a small number of free broadcast networks, the NFL now licenses games simultaneously to subscription streaming platforms, premium cable networks, and technology companies operating under different business models,” Lee said, noting that “the modern distribution environment” has shifted so drastically that it may be time for the DOJ to review the NFL’s model.
The DOJ’s interest also follows broader regulatory scrutiny. The Federal Communications Commission in February sought public input on how the shift toward streaming has affected consumer access to live sports.
At the same time, the NFL is in the midst of renegotiating its media rights deals, a process that could further reshape how games are distributed. The league has explored securing higher fees from existing partners such as CBS, NBC, Fox Corporation, and Amazon, while also weighing whether to extend those agreements beyond current opt-out windows.
CONGRESS URGED TO OPEN ANTITRUST INVESTIGATION INTO APPLE AND OPENAI OVER ‘LEFT-LEANING BIAS’
Streaming players are also signaling growing ambitions. Amazon executives have suggested that its Prime Video platform could eventually carry the Super Bowl, underscoring the potential for even marquee events to shift away from traditional broadcast.
NFL executives maintain that the league has done more than any other sports organization to preserve free access. Hans Schroeder, the league’s executive vice president of media distribution, said during recent league meetings that he was unaware of “a single content owner” that has done more to support broadcast television.