Good Morning. Watching every NFL game now costs more than $1,500 a year. The DOJ finally noticed. We break down the antitrust probe shaking the league.
Plus, why small colleges are dying, anxiety bags taking over Gen Z, and the productivity list Warren Buffett would approve (forwarded this email? Join 523k readers).
TOP STORY TODAY
DOJ Blitzes NFL
The Justice Department opened an antitrust investigation into the NFL on April 9, examining whether the league's media rights deals are driving up costs for consumers. Both the DOJ and the NFL declined to comment on the scope of the probe.
The NFL has held a limited antitrust exemption under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, allowing teams to jointly negotiate TV packages. Critics argue that exemption was designed for free broadcast TV, not the current patchwork of streaming platforms. Last season, NFL games aired across 10 different services, with one estimate putting the cost to watch every game above $1,500 (full breakdown).
The investigation arrives as the NFL reopens contract talks with CBS and faces pressure from Congress and the FCC. Legal experts note the probe faces significant hurdles, including a 2024 court ruling that previously sided with the league. An outcome, if any, could reshape how all major sports leagues sell broadcast rights (full legal analysis here).
Hidden Housing Tax
Homeowners association and condo fees have jumped significantly since 2019, with median condo fees rising 29% to $420 per month and single-family HOA costs climbing 26% to $63 monthly. About 21.6 million U.S. households now pay these dues, and roughly 3 million pay over $500 a month.
The increases are being driven by higher property insurance premiums, more expensive labor and materials, and stricter safety regulations. Florida has been hit especially hard following new building inspection requirements enacted after the 2021 Surfside condo collapse, pushing some owners into listings they cannot avoid.
The ripple effects are reshaping buyer behavior. HOA-related foreclosures climbed 50% nationally between 2022 and 2025, and the condo market has weakened to its lowest point in over a decade. Unlike mortgage rates, HOA fees carry no refinancing option and are widely expected to keep climbing.
Khaby's $975M Mystery
TikTok's most-followed creator, Khaby Lame, announced a $975 million merger deal in January that would have made his business publicly traded. Since then, the stock has collapsed more than 90% from its peak, and major brokerages including Fidelity, Schwab, and Merrill Lynch have blocked or restricted trading in the underlying shares.
The deal involved Lame's company merging with a Hong Kong-registered shell firm called Rich Sparkle Holdings. The company called the acquisition "completed" in January, but an SEC filing from March still described it as contingent on unmet conditions. No formal filings confirm Lame ever received the 75 million shares he was promised.
Lame has gone quiet publicly, removing the stock ticker from his social media bios and not responding to press inquiries. Meanwhile, the stock's collapse has wiped out most of his paper windfall. The deal's murky status could take months to resolve due to how foreign-registered companies report to U.S. regulators.
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TODAY’S LIFE ADVICE
Creating an Anti-To-Do List
German mathematician Carl Jacobi had one rule: invert everything. Warren Buffett built billions on the same idea. Now you can apply it daily.
Introducing the Anti-To-Do List:
3-5 "Do not..." items only
Keep it visible, not buried
Graduate items when the habit sticks
The things you stop doing matter as much as the things you start.
How to Reignite Your Metabolism
This podcast explores the misunderstood relationship between muscle building and metabolism. The hosts debunk the common argument that muscle doesn't significantly boost metabolic rate, explaining why strength training remains the most effective approach for fat loss despite what studies show about resting metabolism. They discuss myostatin inhibition research, behavioral aspects of fitness, and conclude with a candid discussion about GLP-1 medications for weight loss in teenagers.
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Fun Links
“The Scrubs Law” for great TV [Video]
Sinek: Purpose Reignites Passion [Video]
Netflix shows that make kids smarter [List]
Tom Holland partners with Vuori [Golf]
Breaking down US reader habits [Blog]
Get the most of your old iPod [Blog]
The Punisher - One Last Kill [Trailer]
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