US Justice Department opens probe into NFL over anticompetitive practices, WSJ reports

April 9, 2026 – 7:55 AM PDT

(Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images)

(Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department has opened an investigation ​into whether the National Football League has ‌engaged in anticompetitive tactics that harm consumers, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar ​with the situation.

The nature and scope of ​the investigation could not immediately be learned, ⁠the WSJ said.

The National Football League and ​U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond ​to Reuters’ requests for comment.

In February, the Federal Communications Commission said it was reviewing the growing shift of ​live sports to pay TV and subscription ​services away from broadcast networks.

The NFL has said more than ‌87% ⁠of its games are aired on free broadcast TV and that all games are aired on free broadcast television in markets of participating ​teams.

The DOJ ​has been ⁠probing whether the NFL is violating antitrust law by moving TV rights ​behind streamers, a Semafor reporter said ​on ⁠social media platform X.

The FCC said that last year, NFL games aired on 10 different services ⁠and ​cited estimates that it could ​cost a consumer more than $1,500 to watch all games.

^{Reporting by ​Kanjyik Ghosh in Barcelona; Editing by Andrea Ricci}

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