Justice Department Investigates NFL Over Broadcast Deals as Antitrust Exemption Draws Scrutiny
The Justice Department is investigating the NFL’s exclusive streaming deals amid fan frustration over fragmented and paid access. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr questions whether the league should retain its special antitrust exemption, initially established by the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. Pak Gazette contributor Jonathan Turley suggests Congress examine the NFL’s monopoly structure, highlighting its $25 billion annual revenue and rising fan costs.
NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
Federal Communications Commissioner (FCC) Commissioner Olivia Trusty addressed the issue of sports leagues broadcasting behind a paywall as Americans’ frustration grows with the number of services needed to simply watch a game.
Trusty addressed the issue during a conference in Las Vegas on Monday. He credited FCC Chairman Brendan Carr for identifying that “the public interest is no longer served and the need for government immunity is less clear” as leagues migrate behind a paywall.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford signals during the Bears game at Soldier Field in Chicago on January 18, 2026. (Matt Marton/Image Images)
“In fact, more than 8,000 people have submitted comments to the FCC, and 98% of those comments express frustration with the streaming migration trend and their hope that streaming will remain the preeminent platform for watching their favorite team,” he said. “Getting broadcast policy right includes empowering broadcasters to respond to this widely felt consumer need and ensuring broadcasters’ continued ability to serve local communities not only through sports but other programming as well.”
A Pak Gazette poll in March indicated that 72% of sports fans think major sporting events should remain free on television, amid reports that the NFL is considering allowing teams to sell the rights to preseason games to streaming services.
NFL fans who want access to all the games must purchase YouTube TV for “NFL Sunday Ticket,” in addition to expensive subscriptions to all the live streaming services that stream the NFL on.
NFL FANS CALL LEAGUE STREAMING STRATEGY A ‘MONEY GRAB’ AS COSTS GET OUT OF CONTROL
Fans visit the area surrounding the NFL Draft stage outside Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on April 19, 2026, four days before the first round of the draft. (Gene J. Puskar/AP)
Those streaming services are Amazon Prime, Peacock, and Netflix. The combination of those respective services exceeds $1,500 a year, and that doesn’t include the fees that come with the basic cable or high-speed Wi-Fi packages needed to accommodate the platforms.
Trusty said that “it is in the public interest to have free and widely available access to sports,” as studies have shown that sports have the ability to unite Americans from all walks of life.
The Department of Justice reportedly opened an investigation earlier this month into the NFL’s use of streaming services.
“The NFL’s media distribution model is the most fan- and broadcaster-friendly in the entire sports and entertainment industry,” a league spokesperson said in a statement to Pak Gazette Digital. “With more than 87% of our games on free-to-air television, including 100% of games in competing teams’ markets, the NFL for decades has put our fans at the center of how we distribute our content.
The Amazon Prime Video “Thursday Night Football” logo appears on a television camera during the game between the Chiefs and the Las Vegas Raiders in Kansas City, Missouri, on Nov. 29, 2024. (Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pak Gazette APP
“The 2025 season was the most watched since 1989 and reflects the strength of the NFL’s distribution model and its broad availability to all fans.”
