The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the NFL over possible anticompetitive tactics, a government official told CNBC. The investigation stems from questions about “affordability for consumers and creating a level playing field for providers,” officials said.
The government’s investigation comes as the NFL considers renegotiating its media rights deals with broadcast networks ahead of its previous plans, CNBC previously reported. The league is also reportedly considering a larger game package with the streaming giant Netflix.
In a statement to CNBC, the league called its media distribution model “the most fan- and broadcaster-friendly in the entire sports and entertainment industry” and said more than 87% of NFL games are played on free-to-air television.
Regardless of whether a game is broadcast on cable TV or streaming-only, the team will always be shown on the broadcast network in your local market.
“For decades, the NFL has put fans first in how it delivers content. The 2025 season was the most-watched season since 1989, reflecting the strength of the NFL distribution model and its wide availability to all fans,” the league said.
The Wall Street Journal earlier reported on the Justice Department investigation.
last week, fox companySinclair, which owns Sunday NFL game packages and its affiliates, has raised similar issues with the Federal Communications Commission. Media companies have reportedly told the FCC that sports should not be allowed behind paywalls, such as in exclusive streaming deals. This is because it means higher costs for consumers and more problems for traditional televisions.
As sports media rights costs rise, so does the cost of viewing for consumers, leading to fragmentation of media packages, potentially requiring multiple subscriptions, and increasing prices for services.
The NFL currently has an 11-year, $111 billion media rights deal with broadcast networks CBS, NBC and Fox, as well as Disney’s ESPN and Amazon’s Prime Video that runs through the 2033-34 season.
However, the league has begun renegotiating contracts with its broadcast partners, which will increase the league’s revenue, eliminate the opt-out clause after the 2029-2030 season, and ensure a longer period of play with its current broadcast partners.
All major U.S. sports leagues have a similar split of games between traditional television and streaming platforms, but the NFL, which has the shortest schedule, still has the highest concentration of televised games.
The NFL recently began contract renewal negotiations. paramount skydance CNBC previously reported that CBS had struck a deal to continue airing Sunday game packages on its broadcast network. CBS currently pays about $2.1 billion a year, but with the possibility of an increase as a result of renegotiation, CBS could pay more than $3 billion in the next contract, CNBC reported.
Live sports, especially the NFL, enjoys the highest ratings on linear TV, but the league has entered into various streaming-only deals to reach consumers without traditional TV packages.
Amazon’s Prime Video is the exclusive home of Thursday Night Football, and in recent years Netflix has been host to the Christmas Day game. The league also has exclusive one-time streaming deals with legacy media companies’ streaming partners like NBC’s Peacock for certain games, including the playoffs.
At the 2024 CNBC x Boardroom Game Plan event, NFL Executive Vice President of Media Distribution Hans Schroeder spoke about the growing importance of streaming to the future of the league. At the time, he called the league’s wild-card game, broadcast exclusively on Peacock, “the most transformative moment” in recent years.
—CNBC’s Jessica Golden contributed to this report.
