New Delhi, April 10 -- The US Department of Justice has opened a formal probe into the NFL over potential anticompetitive practices in its lucrative media rights packages, raising fresh questions about rising costs for fans and fair competition among broadcasters and streaming services.

This development comes at a critical time as the league aggressively renegotiates its billion-dollar broadcast deals and eyes bigger streaming partnerships, including with Netflix.

The Department of Justice is examining whether the NFL has engaged in anticompetitive tactics in how it sells and distributes its media rights packages. Notably, the probe focuses on affordability for consumers and creating an even playing field for providers.

This comes as t...