US Justice Department launches investigation into NFL over anti-competitive practices american football news

The US Justice Department is investigating the NFL amid concerns about broadcast sales to streamers.

The United States Department of Justice has launched an investigation into whether the National Football League (NFL) engaged in anti-competitive tactics that harm consumers, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Major broadcast station owners, US regulators and senators have in the past raised concerns over the difficulties consumers face in watching sports and the growing trend of selling broadcast rights to streamers.

The nature and full scope of the investigation could not be immediately known.

However, the NFL said in a statement Thursday that more than 87 percent of its games are broadcast on free broadcast television and all games are broadcast on free broadcast television in the markets of participating teams.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The Wall Street Journal first reported the story, while the Associated Press identified its source as a “government official.”

In February, the Federal Communications Commission launched a review of the growing shift of live sports away from broadcast networks toward pay TV and subscription services, seeking comment on “steps the agency should take to ensure viewers’ continued access to live sports through free over-the-air ⁠broadcast TV.”

In response, major broadcast station owners last month urged the regulator to address the trend of Big Tech companies acquiring rights to broadcast football, baseball and other sporting events, saying it could weaken local TV news.

The FCC has stated that many sports programs previously available through free broadcast or traditional cable TV packages are now only available through standalone subscription streaming, leaving many sports fans disappointed.

Last year, NFL games aired on 10 different services, with the FCC citing estimates that it could cost a consumer more than $1,500 to watch all the games.

In March, U.S. Senator Mike Lee submitted a letter to the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission requesting a review of the antitrust exemption for the NFL’s dealings with streaming platforms.

A 1961 law exempts major sports leagues from antitrust laws and allows them to aggregate the television rights of their individual teams and sell those rights as a package.