The NFL has been ordered to pay nearly $5 billion in damages after a jury found it broke antitrust laws. The jury said the league conspired with DirecTV and network partners to increase the price of the exclusive “Sunday Ticket” package.
The lawsuit covered 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 businesses who paid for the package from the 2011 through 2022 seasons. The jury awarded $4.7 billion in damages to the residential class and $ 96 million to the commercial class. The suit involves DirecTV subscribers who purchased “NFL Sunday Ticket” anytime between June 17, 2011 and Feb. 7, 2023.
The lawsuit claimed the NFL broke antitrust laws by selling its “Sunday Ticket” package at an inflated price and restricted competition by only offering it on a satellite provider. The suit involves DirecTV subscribers who purchased “NFL Sunday Ticket” anytime between June 17, 2011 and Feb. 7, 2023.
The NFL said it will appeal the decision in a statement.
“We are disappointed with the jury’s verdict today in the NFL Sunday Ticket class action lawsuit,” the statement said. “We continue to believe that our media distribution strategy, which features 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+, is by far the most fan friendly distribution model in all of sports and entertainment.”
