Justice Dept. Probes NFL's Broadcast Rights

0:00It's April 9th, I'm Corey with The Story, and this is NFL News Today Football News powered by AI. The Justice Department just launched a probe into the NFL's broadcast rights deals, checking if they heard fans under anti-trust rules. Back in 1961, the Sports Broadcasting Act gave the league a pass to pull TV rights together, but now was streaming everywhere. Regulators worry it's not so fan-friendly anymore. That old law made sense when games were free over the air with an antenna, but today some matchups lock you behind paid subscriptions, even if local. Team games stay accessible. The NFL pushes back hard, saying over 87% of games hit free broadcast TV, and last season was their most watched since 1989. Fans aren't thrilled though, Senator Mike Lee fired off a letter to Feds, pointing out it cost nearly $1,000 in cable and streaming to, catch every game. The FCC's also asking for public input on how streaming ships mess with access, echoing

1:01worries that the league's exemption needs a fresh look. Right now, the NFL's renegotiating big with paramount for CBS's Sunday package, which could jump from $2.1 billion bucks a year to over $3 billion. Their eyeing opt-outs on deals with NBC, Fox, and others after 2029, chasing Fatter Feds' rights expire around 2033, or 34. All this shakes up how we watch football, with broadcasters likely locking in longer terms for those hikes, keeping the league's cash flow roaring, while fans weigh the price of total coverage.