Is the NFL Deliberately Harming TV Subscribers? Justice Department Opens Investigation

The Justice Department is investigating whether the NFL is using anticompetitive tactics to harm TV viewers. The Wall Street Journal broke the story, saying lawmakers have become frustrated with the various live TV and streaming services fans have to pick up to see the games.

In the 2025-26 season, fans who wanted to watch every nationally televised game would have needed Prime Video, Netflix, and a way to watch CBS, FOX, ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network. One game was an ESPN+ exclusive.

NFL RedZone provided wrap-around coverage, while users needed the very expensive NFL Sunday Ticket to watch out-of-market games.

When Skydance purchased Paramount last year, that triggered a change-of-ownership clause in its agreement with the league. The NFL is now trying to renegotiate its $2.1 billion annual package with the company.

Things got even muddier in September when the NFL itself handed ownership of NFL Network to ESPN in exchange for 10 percent ownership of the cable sports titan.

In response the investigation, the league released this statement:

“The NFL’s media distribution model is the most fan and broadcaster-friendly in the entire sports and entertainment industry. With over 87% of our games on free, broadcast television, including 100% of games in the markets of the competing teams, the NFL has for decades put our fans front and center in how we distribute our content. The 2025 season was our most viewed since 1989 and reflects the strength of the NFL distribution model and its wide availability to all fans.”

The NFL definitely has leverage when milking media companies for new contracts. In 2025, football games (college and pro) accounted for 92 of the 100 most-watched live broadcasts. The ’25 season averaged 18.7 million viewers. That was up 10 percent from 2024 and the second-highest viewership on record.

Prime Video (+11%) and NBC (+1%) added viewers over the 2024 season, while viewership slipped for CBS (-1%), FOX (-3%), and ESPN/ABC (-14%).

While football fans may be frustrated at how much they have to spend across multiple services, that’s nothing compared to the NHL, NBA, or MLB. Those three leagues have had to endure the collapse of FanDuel Sports Network and a rat’s nest of national and regional providers, making it difficult for fans to find where to watch the games.

It’s true that these sports leagues have a monopoly on their product, and there’s nothing stopping anyone from creating a rival league. But Congress has rarely stepped in to try to regulate the mess. With the current administration greenlighting every giant media merger (pending deals for Nexstar-TEGNA and Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery are winding their way through courts and regulation), it’s hard to imagine the government will land on the side of consumers, but we can dream.

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