A U.S. judge has thrown out a $4.7 billion verdict against the National Football League (NFL) in a lawsuit over its exclusive “Sunday Ticket” package. The ruling, which was handed down on Thursday, marks a major victory for the NFL in a long-running legal battle over the popular television package.
The lawsuit was filed by a group of fans who claimed that the NFL’s exclusive deal with DirecTV for the “Sunday Ticket” package violated antitrust laws and unfairly limited their access to live NFL games. The fans argued that the exclusive deal with DirecTV prevented them from watching their favorite teams play on television without having to pay for a costly subscription.
In 2019, a federal jury in California awarded the fans $4.7 billion in damages, finding that the NFL’s exclusive deal with DirecTV was anticompetitive and harmed consumers. However, U.S. District Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell overturned the verdict on Thursday, ruling that the fans had failed to prove that they had suffered any harm as a result of the exclusive deal.
In her ruling, Judge O’Connell wrote that the fans had not presented sufficient evidence to show that they had been harmed by the NFL’s exclusive deal with DirecTV. She also noted that the fans had not shown that they were unable to watch NFL games on television through other means, such as streaming services or cable providers.
The NFL welcomed the ruling, with a spokesperson saying in a statement, “We are pleased that the court has recognized that the NFL’s broadcast arrangements are legal and legitimate.” The league has long defended its exclusive deals with broadcasters and streaming services as a way to ensure the financial stability of its teams and provide fans with high-quality broadcasts of NFL games.
The fans who filed the lawsuit have not yet indicated whether they plan to appeal the ruling. However, legal experts say that the odds of a successful appeal are slim, given the judge’s thorough analysis of the evidence presented in the case.
Overall, the ruling is a significant win for the NFL and its broadcast partners, as it reaffirms the league’s ability to negotiate exclusive deals for its television packages. It also serves as a reminder that antitrust laws are complex and require a high standard of proof to establish a violation.
As the NFL continues to evolve its media strategy in the digital age, this ruling will likely have lasting implications for how the league negotiates its broadcast deals and distributes its content to fans. While the lawsuit may have been a setback for the fans who brought the case, it ultimately reaffirms the NFL’s ability to control the distribution of its most valuable asset: live football games.