Key facts
- The Justice Department is investigating the NFL's media rights deals for potential anticompetitive tactics.
- Fox owner Rupert Murdoch reportedly lobbied Donald Trump to intervene in the NFL's streaming deals.
- Representative Jamie Raskin believes the investigation aims to benefit Fox Corp.'s future broadcast negotiations.
- The NFL's current model allows most games to be viewed on free, over-the-air television.
A U.S. lawmaker has suggested that the Justice Department's investigation into the National Football League's broadcast rights practices may be intended to help Fox Corp. secure a more favorable deal.
Representative Jamie Raskin, a Democrat, stated at a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing that the probe, like the hearing itself, appears designed to assist Fox in obtaining better broadcast terms. Raskin cited reports indicating that Fox chairman emeritus Rupert Murdoch had personally lobbied then-President Donald Trump at a White House dinner regarding the NFL's streaming deals.
The Department of Justice launched its investigation last month, focusing on whether the NFL has misused its antitrust exemption under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 and if its distribution model has become anticompetitive, potentially increasing costs for fans. The probe follows reports of Murdoch's February dinner with Trump, where concerns were allegedly raised about streamers acquiring rights to more games at the expense of traditional broadcast networks like Fox.
Around the same time as the reported dinner, the FCC initiated an inquiry into the increasing migration of live sports content to streaming platforms. Senator Mike Lee also called for a broader federal review of the NFL's business practices, citing rising subscription fees for viewers. Lee has pressed officials to examine whether current laws adequately protect consumers in the streaming era.
The NFL is pushing back against the scrutiny, with league executives arguing that approximately 87% of its games are still available on free-to-air television and that all local games are broadcast over the air. The league contends that its current distribution model continues to serve both fans and regulators.