Los Angeles, CA – In a groundbreaking ruling, a jury in U.S. District Court has ordered the NFL to pay nearly $4.8 billion in damages after finding the league guilty of violating antitrust laws. The lawsuit, which covered 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 businesses, accused the NFL of inflating prices for its out-of-market Sunday games package sold on DirecTV from 2011 to 2022.
The jury awarded $4.7 billion to the residential class and $96 million to the commercial class, potentially tripling the damages to a total of $14.39 billion under federal antitrust laws. This ruling could cost each of the 32 NFL teams approximately $449.6 million if the verdict is upheld after the appeals process.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones provided testimony during the three-week trial. Plaintiffs believed that the league’s distribution strategy restricted competition by offering “Sunday Ticket” solely on a satellite provider, thus violating antitrust laws.
The NFL has stated that it will appeal the verdict, challenging the jury’s decision. The appeal process is expected to proceed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and possibly the Supreme Court, as the league continues to defend its media distribution strategy as a fan-friendly model in the sports and entertainment industry.
Plaintiffs’ attorney Bill Carmody expressed satisfaction with the jury’s decision, emphasizing that the verdict upholds consumer protection. The trial featured evidence, including an NFL memo from 2017 exploring a potential future without “Sunday Ticket,” where cable channels would broadcast out-of-market games.
Moving forward, the payment of damages, potential modifications to the “Sunday Ticket” package, and changes to NFL broadcasting practices will be delayed until all appeal processes are finalized. The lawsuit’s impact extends to other professional sports leagues that offer out-of-market packages, with implications for how those packages are marketed and distributed.