DOJ Investigates NFL for Anticompetitive TV Rights Deals

The United States Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the National Football League to determine if the league engaged in anticompetitive practices regarding its television contracts. The inquiry, first reported by the Wall Street Journal on April 9, 2026, focuses on whether the NFL’s media deals have forced consumers to pay excessive subscription costs to watch games.

According to a government official, the probe is centered on affordability and creating an even playing field for providers. The investigation seeks to explore if the league used tactics that harmed consumers as more content shifted toward paid streaming platforms.

Legal Protections and Antitrust Exemptions

A central point of the legal dispute involves the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. This legislation provides the NFL with limited antitrust protections, allowing sports leagues to pool their broadcast rights to sell them as a package.

However, these protections are narrow. Legal precedents have established that the Sports Broadcasting Act applies specifically to broadcast television and does not extend to other media formats, including satellite, cable and streaming services.

The Department of Justice is examining whether the NFL’s current distribution model exceeds these legal protections, potentially violating antitrust laws designed to prevent monopolies and encourage competition.

The NFL’s Distribution Model

The NFL defended its media strategy in a statement released on April 9, 2026, asserting that its approach is the most fan and broadcaster-friendly in the entire sports and entertainment industry.

The league highlighted several statistics to support its position:

• More than 87% of games are available on free, broadcast television.
• 100% of games are available for free in the local markets of the competing teams.
• The 2025 season was the most viewed since 1989.

Despite these claims, the league is cooperating with the Department of Justice, although it disagrees with the premise of the investigation.

Streaming Shift and Media Rights

The investigation comes amid a significant transition of live sports from traditional networks to streaming services. The NFL currently operates under a media rights deal valued at $111 billion, with games distributed across a variety of platforms.

Currently, subscriptions are required to access several key segments of the schedule, including:

• Monday Night Football games on ESPN that are not simulcast on ABC.
• Thursday Night Football and the Black Friday game on Amazon Prime Video.
• Christmas games on Netflix.
• Select postseason games.
• International games airing on the ESPN-owned NFL Network.

The league has also previously awarded select games to Peacock and ESPN+.

Broader Regulatory Scrutiny

The Department of Justice probe follows separate regulatory action. Two months prior to the DOJ announcement, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched its own investigation into the general shift of live sports from television networks to subscription-based streaming services.

Political pressure has also played a role in the inquiry. Senator Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, has publicly urged the Department of Justice to investigate the conduct of the NFL, and he expressed support for the probe via his X account on April 9, 2026.