The class-action lawsuit over NFL Sunday Ticket was initially awarded $4.7 billion
The NFL Sunday Ticket class-action lawsuit drama continues — this time with a major victory for the NFL.
A federal district judge overturned the initial judgment against the NFL that had awarded $4.7 billion to the plaintiffs (which could have tripled under federal law to over $14 billion). His ruling was based on the testimony of two witnesses, which he said should have been discounted due to flawed methodologies. Without that testimony, the judge wrote, “no reasonable jury could have found class-wide injury or damages.”
This is a major blow to the 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 businesses who joined together for the class-action suit. The lawsuit concerned the NFL’s alleged antitrust law violations with its Sunday Ticket packages via DirecTV.
However, it is not the first time the NFL has won a judgment as a matter of law in this case. The suit has been making its way through the courts since 2015. In 2017, the case was dismissed, but it was reinstated two years later. According to the Associated Press, it’s likely that the plaintiffs will appeal this ruling, too, continuing the drawn-out battle.
This lawsuit has a more immediate practical ramification than would seem readily apparent. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones insinuated that he’s reluctant to pay his top players this offseason due to the judgment against the league. CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott remain without new contracts.
From the players’ perspective, the league being forced to pay out would be highly detrimental financially. From a fan’s angle, though, the potential to be able to buy smaller Sunday Ticket packages is likely worth the contract battles that will come later.
