Subpoenas in a federal investigation have been...

Subpoenas in a federal investigation have been served on the National Football League, the three major television networks and two other TV companies in connection with negotiations for broadcast rights to league games, according to a published report.

The New York Times reported that CBS, ABC, NBC, ESPN and Fox Broadcasting received the subpoenas in a Federal Trade Commission inquiry into those negotiations, held earlier this year. The investigation centers on the 16 Monday night games awarded to ABC, which has televised Monday night games since 1970.

The newspaper said officials from several of the television companies said investigators were looking into whether the networks and the NFL illegally conspired to keep the games away from Fox or any other network which has not previously aired league games.

Fox reportedly bid more than the $7 million a game that ABC will pay for the Monday night package.

The contracts with ABC, CBS and NBC were renewed in March and ESPN bought eight Sunday night games, the first time a cable television outlet has been included in NFL rights. The three-year contracts brought the league $1.428 million.

If antitrust violations are proven, the contracts could be nullified.