DOJ investigating NFL broadcasting deals: Report

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is opening an investigation into the NFL over its dealmaking with media companies on rights to broadcast games, according to a new report.

The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the probe, reported that the investigation from President Trump’s DOJ focuses on whether the league engaged in anticompetitive tactics that harm consumers.

Representatives for DOJ and the NFL did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday’s report.

The news comes as regulators within the Trump administration, members of Congress and NFL fans across the country have raised concern about the rising cost of streaming services and cable packages required to view the league’s games.

In February, the FCC announced it was seeking public feedback on viewer experience and telegraphed an openness to changing its rules on local blackout restrictions for live sports.

That move was widely seen as a precursor to a potential rewrite of the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, a law granting top leagues like the NFL limited antitrust protection on certain “sponsored” telecasts when negotiating with media companies on rights to show games.

It was more expensive last season than ever to watch NFL games, with consumers paying upward of $1,000 to watch games on more than a half dozen services to see every single game.

The NFL raked in more than $100 billion with its most recent media rights deal, which is set to expire at the end of the decade. Interest in the league’s games has exploded in recent years thanks to an uptick in legal gambling services and fantasy sports.

The reported investigation comes as more major tech companies like Netflix and Amazon have poured billions into NFL broadcasts, accelerating a turn away from traditional cable bundles by fans but leading to what many consumers say is a confusing and expensive sports viewing landscape.

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