Judge Orders Antitrust Lawsuit Against the NFL and NFL Sunday Ticket to Trial
If plaintiffs in the case succeed, it could have huge implications on the way the NFL offers its games via broadcast and streaming.
At this time of year, the NFL would rather be focused on the broadcast of its playoff games and the ad revenues it will collect. But in 2024 the league’s focus will be divided, as a class-action lawsuit filed years ago on behalf of NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers is officially heading to trial.
- The NFL could be forced to pay as much as $6.1 billion if it loses the suit.
- One potential consequence of an NFL loss could be a free-for-all of local and out-of-market TV and streaming rights.
- The league has tried several times to get the lawsuit dismissed, to no avail.
What Happens Next in NFL Sunday Ticket Antitrust Suit?
The lawsuit in question was first filed in 2015, and both the NFL and DIRECTV were named as defendants. The basic argument in the suit is that the league and DIRECTV violated antitrust laws by limiting the number of games put on free over-the-air broadcast channels like CBS and Fox each week, then putting the balance of the week’s schedule on the expensive, out-of-market Sunday Ticket service.
Now, a jury will hear arguments that have thus far been limited to the ears of various district and appeals court judges over the years. The trial will begin on Feb. 22, and could last for months as the league and the plaintiffs make their cases. The case heated up in a big way over the course of the past year; in August the league asked for a summary judgement, but the presiding judge denied that request.
Apple and Google have been dragged into the proceedings, as well. In late August, the plaintiffs in the case also filed suit against Google in order to compel the company — which now holds the rights to Sunday Ticket through YouTube TV — to give up information regarding the deal to acquire the package. Apple was deep in negotiations with the league to land Sunday Ticket in late 2022 before Google eventually won that bidding, and has also been subpoenaed for information.
What Happens if NFL Loses Suit?
There are several different outcomes for the league, based on how wide-ranging the ruling is when it’s eventually handed down. But there is a possibility the league will have to create more options for fans to watch in-market and out-of-market games.
If this happens, it would have good and bad consequences for NFL fans. On the good side, audiences would potentially have more ways to watch more games without having to resort to pay $350+ for a full season of NFL Sunday Ticket. On the other hand, it would almost certainly lead to NFL games being scattered amongst even more providers, making it much more difficult for viewers to know on a given day where they’ll see their favorite team’s game.
The trial could have massive consequences for what has essentially been the top TV product in the United States for decades. The league is due back in court on Feb. 22, just days after Super Bowl LVIII to defend its broadcast practices to a jury.
NFL Sunday Ticket
NFL Sunday Ticket is a subscription video streaming service that allows football fans to watch every live out-of-market NFL game on Sunday afternoons on YouTube or YouTube TV.