• Loading stock data...
Friday, December 13, 2024
Law

Jury Rules NFL Owes More Than $4 Billion in Sunday Ticket Antitrust Case

  • The suit claimed the NFL violated antitrust laws with its Sunday Ticket offering.
  • The league said it will appeal the ruling.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

A jury in Los Angeles sided against the NFL on Thursday in the Sunday Ticket trial that could cost the league billions. The verdict was delivered in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California.

The league has been ordered to pay $96 million to bars that said they were overcharged for Sunday Ticket, and $4.7 billion to fans who paid for the streaming package. Under federal antitrust law, those damages are tripled, bringing the total to more than $14 billion.

The league said in a statement that it will “certainly” appeal the verdict, calling the suit “baseless and without merit.” The case could eventually end up at the U.S. Supreme Court.

“It’s a great verdict for the consumers of America,” the lawyer for the plaintiffs said after the verdict. The lawyer, Bill Carmody, said the jury successfully ignored “the star power of the defendants.” Along with commissioner Roger Goodell, NFL owners like Jerry Jones testified in the trial.

The lawsuit was initially filed in 2015 by a San Francisco sports bar called the Mucky Duck, which claimed the league violated antitrust law by bundling all the out-of-market games and making it impossible to buy a one-team package. The case was dismissed in ’17 but reinstated in ’19. It has since become a class action suit made up of 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. Today on YouTube TV, the package costs $349 per year. It was revealed during the trial that the league declined an ESPN proposal to take over the offering last season and price it at $70, and include single-team packages. It also came to light that the league had drafted a proposal in 2017 to ax Sunday Ticket entirely and move games to a number of cable channels. NFL lawyers and officials, including Roger Goodell, have argued in response that Sunday Ticket is a “premium product” that wasn’t intended to end up in every living room.

The jury ruled Thursday that those decisions by the NFL violated federal antitrust law.

The judge overseeing the case, U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez, had said the plaintiffs have overcomplicated the case and threatened to dismiss it. He still has the power to throw out the jury verdict and rule for the NFL as a matter of law.

“The way you have tried this case is far from simple,” Gutierrez said to the plaintiff’s attorneys. “This case has turned into 25 hours of depositions and gobbledygook. … This case has gone in a direction it shouldn’t have gone.”

“We are disappointed with the jury’s verdict today in the NFL Sunday Ticket class action lawsuit,” the league said in a statement. “We continue to believe that our media distribution strategy, which features all NFL games broadcast on free over-the-air television in the markets of the participating teams and national distribution of our most popular games, supplemented by many additional choices including RedZone, Sunday Ticket and NFL+, is by far the most fan friendly distribution model in all of sports and entertainment.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Mina Kimes and Ryan Clark at NFL draft

ESPN Talent Turns Its Fire on Aaron Rodgers

The network’s NFL talent ripped the QB as ‘hypocritical’ this week.
De'Vondre Campbell

49ers Set to Cut Starter for Refusing to Enter Game: ‘Stupid’ and..

De’Vondre Campbell refused to re-enter the game Thursday night.
Georgia defensive lineman Mykel Williams (13) goes in for a sack on Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) during the second half of the SEC championship game against Texas in Atlanta, on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024.

How the CFP’s On-Campus Guinea Pigs Are Handling Historic December Home Games

The biggest games in school history will be when students are home for break.

Manchester City Is a Mess. It’s Still Breaking Revenue Records

As on-field losses mount, the Premier League giant reports record revenue.

Featured Today

Nov 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detailed view of a Wilson NBA basketball held by a referee during the second half between the Utah Jazz against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena

‘Obvious Weak Point’: Refs Remain an NBA Gambling Concern

A season after Jontay Porter, the biggest risk may not be players.
Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines cheerleader runs with a flag before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Michigan Stadium.
opinion
December 7, 2024

College Football’s Billionaire Backer Era Begins

Is this the new normal in CFB recruiting?
LA Galaxy forward Dejan Joveljic (9) celebrates with midfielder Riqui Puig (10) after scoring a goal against Seattle Sounders FC in the second half in the 2024 MLS Cup Western Conference Final match at Dignity Health Sports Park
December 6, 2024

With or Without Messi, Major League Soccer Is Barreling Into the Future

After the Cup final, the league looks to accelerate its growth.
Dec 18, 2022; Lusail, Qatar; FIFA president Gianni Infantino claps during the awards ceremony after the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium.
December 2, 2024

FIFA Wants More Matches. Resistance Is Growing Inside the Global Soccer World

Resentment and frustration over expanded schedules is nearing a breaking point.
December 9, 2024

Jay-Z’s Attorney Calls Sexual Assault Lawsuit a ‘Campaign of Extortion’

The lawsuit was originally filed against Sean Combs in October.
Linda McMahon, former Administrator of the Small Business Administration, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
December 9, 2024

Linda McMahon’s Sexual Abuse Lawsuit on Pause Over Maryland Constitutionality Questions

The 2023 law allowing the lawsuit is being challenged.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
Tyson
December 6, 2024

Gambling Company Sues Mike Tyson, Says He Blew Off Deal to Fight..

Tyson recently lost a highly anticipated fight to Jake Paul in Texas.
James Dolan
December 5, 2024

Judge Orders MSG Bootleg Merch Sellers to Cut It Out, Appear in..

MSG Sports, the Knicks, and Rangers sued the vendors Monday.
James Dolan
December 3, 2024

James Dolan’s MSG Sports Declares War on Bootleg T-Shirt Vendors

The Knicks and Rangers are suing counterfeit merchandise vendors outside of MSG.
Mar 12, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani talks with translator Ippei Mizuhara in the dugout against the San Francisco Giants during a spring training baseball game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale.
December 3, 2024

Shohei Ohtani Seeks Baseball Cards From Interpreter in Federal Case

Ohtani’s former translator is expected to be sentenced for bank and tax fraud.