DOJ Opens Probe Into NFL’s Sports Television Deals

The US Justice Department has opened an antitrust probe into the National Football League, looking at whether its broadcast deals with media companies drive up the costs for consumers, according to people familiar with the matter. The NFL and other sports leagues currently have an antitrust exemption that allows them to negotiate media deals collectively on behalf of their teams under the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act. But media outlets, regulators and members of Congress have recently highlighted how difficult it is for consumers to be able to watch games amid a labyrinth of streaming, broadcast and cable options. Policy experts have begun to debate whether the act applies to negotiations beyond free broadcast TV distribution. (Source: Bloomberg)