CFO Slice

The U.S. Justice Department has opened an antitrust investigation into the National Football League to examine whether its media rights practices are harming consumers by driving up costs and limiting access to games. The probe comes amid growing scrutiny from regulators, lawmakers, and media companies over the NFL’s use of its long-standing antitrust exemption, granted under the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act, which allows teams to collectively negotiate lucrative television deals. In recent years, the league has increasingly divided its game packages among traditional broadcasters and streaming platforms, contributing to a fragmented viewing experience that often requires fans to pay for multiple subscriptions. Regulators are particularly concerned that the current model may exploit the league’s antitrust protections in ways that no longer align with today’s media landscape, where games are no longer primarily available on free-to-air television. The Federal Communications Commission has already sought public input on how these changes affect viewers, and lawmakers have called for a review of the NFL’s exemption.