The “Sunday Ticket” lawsuit was just decided in favor of the plaintiffs and against the NFL, which could result in a big payment for the Detroit Lions. As per ESPN, an eight-member jury has found that the league violated antitrust laws by just offering the subscription service on DirecTV and charging a premium for it.
The NFL will pay a staggering $4.8 billion in damages, with $4.7 billion going to the residential class and an additional $97 million to the commercial class, pending an appeal, which the league has stated it will pursue. However, because damages are treble under federal antitrust laws, that figure may rise to an astounding $14.39 billion. The $14.39 billion total, if it holds true, will be divided among the 32 clubs, or $449.6 million for the Lions and each of the other 31 teams.
“We are dissatisfied with the jury’s decision in the class action lawsuit involving NFL Sunday Ticket today. The NFL stated, “We continue to believe that our media distribution strategy is by far the most fan-friendly distribution model in all of sports and entertainment, with 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+. “We will undoubtedly challenge this ruling because we think the class action allegations in this case are illogical and unfounded. We express our gratitude to the jury for their dedication and commitment, as well as to Judge [Philip] Gutierrez for his direction and supervision during the trial.”
If the NFL loses its appeal, there will be changes to Sunday Ticket, which is now on YouTube TV. However, those changes won’t be made until all appeals are finished.
