Thousands of NFL Sunday ticket subscribers could get a refund

Getty’s painting

The NFL is currently facing a fine that could exceed $14 billion due to an antitrust lawsuit over its Sunday Ticket television package. Longtime insider Mike Florio believes fans who are eligible for compensation could receive a very hefty check when the dust finally settles.

It’s been nearly a decade since the NFL faced a class action lawsuit alleging the league engaged in anti-competitive conduct by overcharging fans and broadcast companies for Sunday Ticket.

The crux of the argument was that the NFL defrauded subscribers due to the price of the package, which could only be obtained through DirectTV before YouTubeTV acquired the rights in 2023, and essentially got away with it because Sunday Ticket was ( and still is ) is the only way US residents can legally watch out-of-market matches.

The league did everything in its power to get the lawsuit dismissed, but was ultimately unable to prevent the case from going to federal court in Los Angeles earlier this month.

It’s safe to say the jury didn’t side with the NFL based on what happened when it reached its verdict on Thursday, after determining that it must pay out more than $4.7 billion to various aggrieved Sunday Ticket subscribers (that number jumps to about $14.1 billion thanks to a legal quirk that automatically triples the amount awarded in an antitrust case).

There is no doubt that the NFL will appeal the verdict until all options are exhausted, and there is no doubt that a very large portion of the amount it is ultimately forced to repay will end up in the hands of the lawyers who argued the case.

That said, Mike Florio seems to think that the 2.4 million people who are currently entitled to the $4.7 billion reserved for the “home subscriber” (i.e. fans who watched the game at home, as opposed to bars and restaurants who will have to make do with a relatively paltry $96 million that they will have to split) could walk away with between $3,000 and $5,000 if the ruling ultimately stands.

“If this is the final amount, the judge will decide how to divide the money.

My estimated calculations at this stage suggest that this amount is 3-4 thousand. dollars per person”@ProFootballTalk #PMSLive https://t.co/e5pAcFS4sr photo.twitter.com/z0rDU0Lj0Q

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 28, 2024

Florio noted that it will likely take two to three years to determine the final amount (assuming it doesn’t go to $0 if the NFL goes through), but I think most people receiving a check like this confirms that it’s worth the wait.