NFL’s ‘Sunday Ticket’ Antitrust Verdict Settled for $4.7 Billion

A federal jury has ordered the National Football League (NFL) to pay $4,707,259,944.64 in damages for violating antitrust laws related to its out-of-market distribution of Sunday afternoon games. The June 27 verdict was disclosed in documents filed in the case Tuesday.

The lawsuit, which is being closely watched by fans and legal experts alike, involved 2.4 million individual subscribers and 48,000 businesses across the U.S. Those subscribers paid for the NFL’s “Sunday Ticket” package on DirecTV, which offered out-of-market games from the 2011 through 2022 seasons. The plaintiffs argued that the NFL violated antitrust law by inflating the price of the package and limiting competition by offering “Sunday Ticket” exclusively through a satellite provider.

Related: Exclusive NFL Playoff Game Broadcasts Raise Antitrust Concerns

According to the Associated Press, the jury, consisting of five men and three women, found that the NFL was liable for $4,610,331,671.74 in damages to individual subscribers and $96,928,272.90 in damages to business subscribers. Federal antitrust laws allow for damages to be tripled, meaning the NFL could potentially be liable for up to $14,121,779,833.92.

This staggering sum will be split evenly among the 32 NFL teams, meaning each team will potentially be in debt to the tune of $441.3 million.

The ruling marks a significant step back for the NFL, which has long defended its distribution model for out-of-market games. Legal analysts suggest the case could have broad implications for how professional sports leagues package and sell broadcast rights in the future.

Source: AP News