NFL Ordered to Pay $4.7 Billion in ‘Sunday Ticket’ Lawsuit

The National Football League has been directed to pay approximately $4.7 billion in damages following a lawsuit alleging antitrust violations tied to its “Sunday Ticket” programming. Multiple reports on Thursday detailed a Los Angeles jury’s decision in favor of fans who claimed the NFL, in collaboration with teams and DirecTV, artificially inflated prices for out-of-market game access.

The jury’s ruling mandates a $4.7 billion payout to subscribers of the “Sunday Ticket” service and an additional $96 million to businesses that purchased the package, as reported by the Associated Press. During the trial, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell maintained that DirecTV alone determined the pricing for the package, according to Bloomberg.

The league also argued for its right to sell “Sunday Ticket” under broadcasting antitrust exemptions, although plaintiffs contended this exemption applied solely to over-the-air broadcasts, ESPN reported. In response to the verdict, the NFL expressed disappointment and reiterated its belief in having the most fan-friendly media distribution strategy across sports and entertainment, pledging to challenge the decision.

In a departure from typical class action procedures, the NFL opted for a three-week trial instead of settling the case. The jury, deliberating for approximately five hours over two days, delivered their decision, noted the Los Angeles Times.

The lawsuit originated in 2015 when a San Francisco bar initially filed the complaint, which was dismissed in 2017 but reinstated two years later by an appeals court. In 2023, a judge ruled to proceed with the case as a class action lawsuit, according to the AP. DirecTV held an exclusive contract with the NFL to distribute “Sunday Ticket” from its inception in 1994 until 2022, when the league entered a seven-year, $14 billion agreement with YouTube, shifting “Sunday Ticket” primarily to streaming platforms, Deadline reported.