NFL faces massive defeat in Sunday Ticket trial, ordered to pay billions to fans and bars
NFL ordered to pay over $14 billion in Sunday Ticket lawsuit
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell
Ajury in Los Angeles made a big decision on Thursday, ruling against the NFL in the Sunday Ticket trial. This ruling could end up costing the league billions of dollars. The verdict was announced in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California.
The NFL has been ordered to pay a hefty $96 million to bars that claimed they were overcharged for Sunday Ticket. Additionally, they have been instructed to pay a staggering $4.7 billion to fans who paid for the streaming package. According to legal reporter Meghann Cuniff, these damages are tripled under federal antitrust law, bringing the total to over $14 billion.
Unsurprisingly, the league has stated that it will “certainly” appeal the verdict, deeming the lawsuit as “baseless and without merit.” This means that the case could potentially reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
After the verdict was announced, the lawyer for the plaintiffs expressed his satisfaction, saying, “It’s a great verdict for the consumers of America.” He also highlighted that the jury successfully overlooked “the star power of the defendants.” Notably, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and team owners like Jerry Jones testified during the trial.
Jury delivers crushing blow to NFL
The lawsuit was initially filed in 2015 by a San Francisco sports bar called the Mucky Duck. They claimed that the league violated antitrust law by bundling all out-of-market games and making it impossible to purchase a one-team package.
Initially dismissed in 2017, the case was reinstated in 2019 and has since evolved into a class action suit involving millions of bars, restaurants, and subscribers from June 17, 2011, through Feb. 7, 2023. The plaintiffs initially sought $7 billion in damages, which could have been tripled to $21 billion per federal law.
One of the key claims of the suit is that the league inflates the price of NFL Sunday Ticket. For example, on YouTube TV today, the package costs $349 per year. It was revealed during the trial that the league turned down an ESPN proposal to take over the offering last season and price it at $70, including single-team packages. Additionally, it came to light that the league had drafted a proposal in 2017 to eliminate Sunday Ticket entirely and move games to a number of cable channels.
