Are NFL Games Getting Too Expensive? Feds Step In

The U.S. Department of Justice has officially opened an investigation into the National Football League over concerns its TV and streaming deals may violate antitrust laws.

At the center of the issue is how fans now have to pay for multiple subscriptions just to watch certain games. While the NFL has long been protected under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961—which allows teams to collectively sell TV rights—that exemption was built for traditional broadcast television, not today’s streaming-heavy landscape.

Now, games are spread across platforms like ESPN, Prime Video, Netflix, and Peacock, with some of the biggest matchups locked behind paywalls. That’s raised concerns among lawmakers, including Mike Lee, who says fans are being forced to spend hundreds—sometimes close to $1,000 a season—to follow their teams.

The NFL is pushing back, saying more than 87% of its games are still available on free local TV and that its current system actually benefits fans and broadcasters. The league also points to record viewership numbers as proof the model is working.

Still, with billions of dollars tied up in media deals and contracts running into the next decade, this investigation could have a major impact on how fans watch football moving forward—especially as streaming continues to take over live sports.