NFL faces massive federal investigation over anticompetitive practices
The NFL could be in hot water as they're now the subject of a federal investigation.
The NFL could be in serious trouble over its current TV contracts. Reports indicate that the NFL is facing an investigation from the Justice Department over whether or not the league has "violated anticompetitive practices" due to its TV deals requiring fans to purchase subscription costs to view standalone games. "This is about affordability and creating an even playing field for providers," a government official told ABC News.
The Justice Department has begun an investigation into whether the NFL has violated anticompetitive practices with its television contracts that require consumers to pay subscription costs to watch some games, sources confirmed to ABC News. https://t. co/p5Nt6PL2rO ā ESPN (@espn) April 9, 2026 The move comes after Utah Senator Mike Lee penned a letter to the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission on March 3, urging a review of whether the deals align with the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.
He estimated the cost to watch every NFL game last season was $765. The NFL has an antitrust exemption under the Sports Broadcasting Act for negotiating broadcast television contracts. Still, a court has ruled that the exemption does not apply to media such as cable, satellite, and streaming.
"The NFL's media distribution model is the most fan and broadcaster-friendly in the entire sports and entertainment industry," the NFL said in a statement 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.