NFL Faces Federal Scrutiny as Streaming Grows

Justice Department investigating league's shift of games to streaming services

Apr. 11, 2026 at 12:04am

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A cubist-style painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes and planes in navy, green, and orange, conceptually representing the fragmented and complex nature of the NFL's media rights distribution.The NFL's shift to streaming raises questions about consumer access and fair competition in the evolving sports media landscape.Green Bay Today

The NFL is facing increased scrutiny from the federal government over the league's moves to put more games on streaming services. The Justice Department is investigating the NFL for potential anticompetitive practices, while the FCC is seeking public comment on the ongoing shift of live sports from broadcast to streaming.

Why it matters

As the most popular sports league in America, the NFL's decisions around media rights and game distribution have significant implications for consumers and the broader media landscape. The federal government is examining whether the league's streaming deals are limiting affordability and fair competition.

The details

The NFL is not alone in creating streaming packages, but its status as the top league and the lucrative media rights it receives put it at the center of this changing landscape. The league has moved high-profile games like 'Thursday Night Football,' wild-card playoff games, and Christmas Day games to streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, generating hundreds of millions in additional revenue. However, this shift has raised concerns about accessibility and affordability for fans.

  • The 'Thursday Night Football' package moved from Fox to Amazon Prime Video in 2022.
  • A wild-card playoff game moved to streaming in 2023.
  • Christmas Day games moved to streaming in 2024.
  • The NFL began airing a game on Amazon on Black Friday in 2023.

The players

Justice Department

The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the NFL for potential anticompetitive practices related to its media rights deals and the shift of games to streaming services.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

The FCC is seeking public comment on the ongoing shift of live sports from broadcast channels to streaming services.

Brendan Carr

The FCC Chairman who announced the public comment period on the sports streaming shift.

Utah Sen. Mike Lee

A U.S. Senator who wrote a letter to the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission urging them to review whether the NFL's distribution methods comply with the Sports Broadcasting Act.

Mark Attanasio

The principal owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, who said the switch from a regional sports network to MLB's direct distribution resulted in a $20 million drop in revenue.

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What’s next

The Justice Department and FCC are expected to continue their investigations and public comment periods to assess the impact of the NFL's streaming deals on consumers and competition.

The takeaway

The NFL's shift towards more streaming deals has raised concerns about accessibility and affordability for fans, leading to increased federal scrutiny of the league's media rights practices. This highlights the broader challenges facing the sports media landscape as live events move away from traditional broadcast television.