1. The Wall Street Journalreported on Thursday that the U.S. Department of Justice has opened an inquiry into the NFL’s broadcast distribution practices.
According to the Journal, federal officials are examining whether the NFL has used business practices that could limit competition and negatively impact consumers when it comes to media rights deals.
Over the years, we’ve seen the NFL move games off broadcast television and sell them to a variety of streaming services, including Amazon Prime, Netflix, YouTube, ESPN+ and Peacock.
The NFL fired back with a statement.
“The NFL’s media distribution model is the most fan- and broadcaster-friendly in the entire sports and entertainment industry,” the league stated. “With over 87% of our games on free, broadcast television, including 100% of games in the markets of the competing teams, the NFL has for decades put our fans front and center in how we distribute our content. The 2025 season was our most viewed since 1989 and reflects the strength of the NFL distribution model and its wide availability to all fans.”
While it could be fun to see a big fight between the government and the NFL, I don’t think the NFL has been egregious in selling off games to streaming. Like the league said, there are still a massive amount of games on over-the-air TV.
What I would like the government to investigate is the absurd price gouging the league has for NFL Sunday Ticket. The NFL keeps selling off games, weakening the Sunday Ticket slate, while continuing to increase the price of Sunday Ticket, which now airs exclusively on YouTube.
Last year, Sunday Ticket cost $480 for non-YouTube TV subscribers.
2. A new SI Media With Jimmy Traina dropped this morning. This week’s show features a conversation with SiriusXM and New York Post host Adam Schein.
Schein talks about balancing his daily schedule of doing radio from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and then a live YouTube Show for the Post from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. In addition, Schein shares insight into his new role as CBS’s studio anchor for NFL highlights and how that job works. Other topics discussed with Shein include his daily coffee intake, Tiger Woods, whether the NBA playoffs will be Victor Wembanyama’s coming-out party, why the Lakers’ injuries are so devastating, the start time of the NCAA women’s tournament and much more.
Following Schein, Sal Licata, from SNY TV and The Sal Licata Show, joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week’s topics include everyone’s obsession with ballpark food, the Dodgers screwing an 81-year-old, 50-year season-ticket holder, the Masters, a college football coach’s unusual recruiting tactic and more. In addition, I read listener email.
You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple and Spotify.
3. Michigan’s title win over UConn on Monday night drew 18.3 million viewers for TBS. Thanks to Nielsen’s new measurement system, it was the most watched NCAA men’s basketball championship game in seven years.
Last year’s title game between Houston and Florida pulled in 18.1 viewers on CBS.
4. Remember last week when I wrote a column with the headline of “Golf Fans Aren’t Thrilled With ESPN Shoving Jason Kelce Down Their Throats”?
The reaction to Kelce’s antics during Wednesday’s Par 3 coverage was even worse than I expected.
5. Speaking of the Masters, since we’re in a time where every event is on a million different platforms, here’s a handy guide of where you can watch the action from Augusta.
6. As someone with hardly any skills, I’m blown away by people who have this much talent.
7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: In honor of the Masters, here’s Jerry Seinfeld and George Carlin on golf.
Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughtsand check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcasthosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotifyor Google. You can also follow Jimmy on Xand Instagram.
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JIMMY TRAINA
Jimmy Traina is a staff writer and podcast host for Sports Illustrated. A 20-year veteran in the industry, he’s been covering the sports media landscape for seven years and writes a daily column, Traina Thoughts. Traina has hosted the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast since 2018, a show known for interviews with some of the most important and powerful people in sports media. He also was the creator and writer of SI’s Hot Clicks feature from 2007 to '13.
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