NFL under investigation by Justice Department

Grogan14 · Apr 9, 2026

About time.
For anti competitive acts that harm consumers

https://www.wsj.com/sports/football/nfl-investigation-justice-department-8835a936?st=eMey4r&reflink=article_imessage_share

Boogs · Apr 9, 2026

Part of me says just let the NFL go do what they want. If fans can't afford all the streaming fees, then people won't watch and the NFL learns their lesson and just hurts themselves anyway

Pape · Apr 9, 2026

Grogan14 said:
About time.
For anti competitive acts that harm consumers

https://www.wsj.com/sports/football/nfl-investigation-justice-department-8835a936?st=eMey4r&reflink=article_imessage_share

call me a pessimist but really, what will happen? nada damn thing aka same thing as always... the gov will negotiate a chunk of cash to change hands between them and the NFL then will rubber stamp the end result...

sb1 · Apr 9, 2026

Hand over your cell phone Roger

MrTibbs · Apr 9, 2026

I'm team Justice Department. The NFL has taken greed to another level.

Zuma · Apr 9, 2026

Someone wants the $$$ and the NFL will pay it to make it go away

mgteich · Apr 9, 2026

Pape said:
call me a pessimist but really, what will happen? nada damn thing aka same thing as always... the gov will negotiate a chunk of cash to change hands between them and the NFL then will rubber stamp the end result...

Call me an optimist, but really, I expect nothing meaningful to come from this.

XLIX · Apr 9, 2026

Boogs said:
Part of me says just let the NFL go do what they want. If fans can't afford all the streaming fees, then people won't watch and the NFL learns their lesson and just hurts themselves anyway

If they want the benefit of being allowed to ignore federal antitrust law, they have to answer to the People and prove they are using that privilege in the Peoples' best interests.

If they want to play "we should be able to do what we want" then that's fine, but they should not be allowed to violate federal antitrust law in that case.

XLIX · Apr 9, 2026

mgteich said:
Call me an optimist, but really, I expect nothing meaningful to come from this.

I think the Leagues - especially baseball - have gone overboard with content being made exclusively on streaming. Maybe all the Leagues need is a shot across the bow.

Ross12 · Apr 9, 2026

XLIX said:
If they want the benefit of being allowed to ignore federal antitrust law, they have to answer to the People and prove they are using that privilege in the Peoples' best interests.

If they want to play "we should be able to do what we want" then that's fine, but they should not be allowed to violate federal antitrust law in that case.

Right, it's obvious they are a monopoly.

JoeSixPat · Apr 9, 2026

MrTibbs said:
I'm team Justice Department. The NFL has taken greed to another level.

According to one failed USFL owner at least.

The timing of this in particular shows it has a lot to do with the administration's posturing over Paramount, Warner Bros, CBS and other news sports and entertainment mergers

With any and all of these, there's a payoff of some nature, whether it be an agreement to fire or censor political enemies, or make sure that his family companies and other oligarchs get their share.

This isn't about making the NFL, let alone gas and everyday expenses cheaper for us, that's for sure

That being said, given the anti-trust exemption the NFL does have - and the way they've grown their profits on our backs - it's BS to have to subscribe to a half dozen services, even if only for a weekend pass, to be able to watch JUST Patriot games.

Let's start with making the local NFL team games available on free tv for all (sorry Patsfans who live in other media markets!)

Justice Department investigating the NFL over subscription fee concerns, sources say

The DOJ probe is focused on possible anticompetitive tactics, a person familiar with the investigation told NBC News.

www.nbcnews.com

JoeSixPat · Apr 9, 2026

MrTibbs said:
I'm team Justice Department. The NFL has taken greed to another level.

As noted, Paramount/CBS are big players in NFL profit machine as are other growing mergers

But I don't think the intent here is to end the NFL's monopoly

It's to make sure they get their profit

Now we are seeing lots of money from Saudi Arabia and the Middle East enter the picture - including Jared Kushner's company (which of course exists to give kickbacks to you know who)

Trump's family company being part of this deal seemed to raise some eyebrows - but with this much Saudi money now coming in I wouldn't be shocked if some of that's a shell company for Kushner's Affinity Partners - though it should trouble everyone to see so many foreign governments taking control of our media as well.

The idea of funds controlled by the governments of Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar being stakeholders in the CBS broadcast network, local stations, CNN and other assets has raised alarms among some Democrats - but it does NOT appear that Trump is willing to allow DOJ or the GOP Committee on Foreign Investments in the US stop them, especially since his son-in-law and the Saudi Prince who gave Kushner $2 billion in the first place, want this to happen

Bottom line - the oligarchs will work out their profit from the continued high prices we're required to pay

Paramount Stock Jumps 11% After Middle East Funds' $24B Investment In WBD Takeover Is Confirmed

Paramount's beleaguered stock jumped nearly 11% Tuesday after news of deep-pocketed Middle East backers joining its Warner Bros. Discovery takeover.

deadline.com

JoeSixPat · Apr 9, 2026

XLIX said:
I think the Leagues - especially baseball - have gone overboard with content being made exclusively on streaming. Maybe all the Leagues need is a shot across the bow.

I suppose one can make the case that at least with baseball with 162 games a season and much lower ratings than the 17 NFL games that command a huge market share are different animals

There's at least a lot to spread around with that many games in baseball, and for that same reason, regular viewership is MUCH lower and thus not going to have the ability to be supported by ratings - hence charge a reasonable price for full access while some of the higher watched games go out to bid for featured broadcasts/networks etc.

But with 17 games in which the NFL has THE monopoly in the sport with the highest rating... I'd say no one is in disagreement that we're paying too much too too many sources even just to be able to see the hometown team

It's just that none of this is about making it cheaper for us I fear

Vindicate · Apr 9, 2026

JoeSixPat said:
It's just that none of this is about making it cheaper for us I fear

I can't wait for the day where we have to complete a CAPTCHA puzzle to unlock each quarter.

Grogan14 · Apr 9, 2026

At least make every game for local teams always available on free tv

TommyD4207 · Apr 9, 2026

Someone's still salty they didn't get to buy the Bills, I see.

Zuma · Apr 9, 2026

JoeSixPat said:

I'm not a stickler as much as Thelonius but are these people calling themselves Journalist? It should read...

"The NFL has announced Each Quarter Of Playoff Games Will Be Broadcast On Different Streaming Services"...or something like that

TommyD4207 · Apr 9, 2026

Zuma said:
I'm not a stickler as much as Thelonius but are these people calling themselves Journalist? It should read...

"The NFL has announced Each Quarter Of Playoff Games Will Be Broadcast On Different Streaming Services"...or something like that

"The Babylon Bee" is Temu The Onion.

Zuma · Apr 9, 2026

TommyD4207 said:
"The Babylon Bee" is Temu The Onion.

Your response I guess means you're defending the bastardization of the english language? The Onion by far at least knows grammar and punctuation.

TommyD4207 · Apr 9, 2026

Zuma said:
Your response I guess means you're defending the bastardization of the english language? The Onion by far at least knows grammar and punctuation.

It wasn't a defense, just a statement of fact.
They're the Wal-Mart version of The Onion, with similar-quality writers and editors you'd expect from that moniker.

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