NFL Sunday Ticket Lawsuit: What You Need to Know

The NFL is facing a class-action lawsuit over its Sunday Ticket package, with subscribers claiming that the league broke antitrust laws by allowing DirecTV to exclusively sell the package at an inflated price and restricting competition.

What is NFL Sunday Ticket?

NFL Sunday Ticket was created in 1994 as a way for fans to watch out-of-market Sunday afternoon games. DirecTV was the original Sunday Ticket provider and remained the provider through the 2022 season. YouTube TV agreed to take over the rights in December 2022 and became the Sunday Ticket provider starting with the 2023 NFL season.

The Lawsuit

The lawsuit, filed in 2015, claims that the NFL broke antitrust laws by allowing DirecTV to exclusively sell the Sunday Ticket package at an inflated price and restricting competition. The NFL will argue that Sunday Ticket is an add-on package for out-of-town fans, along with stating that all local games are available on broadcast networks.

The plaintiffs are asking a jury to find the NFL liable and award $7 billion in damages, but that number could balloon to $21 billion because antitrust cases can triple damages.

Image: NFL Sunday Ticket

More than 2.4 million residential subscribers and more than 48,000 restaurants, bars, and other commercial establishments that purchased Sunday Ticket from June 17, 2011, to February 7, 2023, are impacted by this suit.

NFL Sunday Ticket Class-Action Lawsuit Timeline

• 2015: Class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of San Francisco bar “Mucky Duck.”
• 2017: Federal judge in Los Angeles agreed with the NFL that the subscribers hadn’t made a plausible case that the exclusive distribution deal with DirecTV harmed competition, so the circuit court threw out the case.
• 2019: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the litigation.
• November 2, 2020: Supreme Court declined to review lower court’s ruling that the case can move forward.
• February 7, 2023: Court determined that subscribers’ claims against the defendants (NFL) could proceed as a class-action lawsuit.
• January 12, 2024: U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez ruled that the subscribers can move ahead with claims against the NFL.
• June 6, 2024: Trial set to begin in Los Angeles (with jury selection, expected to last multiple weeks)

How Much Does NFL Sunday Ticket Cost?

NFL fans without a YouTube TV plan can pay four payments of $112.25 – $449 in all – to get NFL Sunday Ticket for the 2024 season. However, those with an “NFL Sunday Ticket only” plan will need cable or another provider to watch in-market games on Sunday afternoons.

Those with a YouTube TV plan can make four payments of $87.25 – $349 in all – to get Sunday Ticket. A base plan for YouTube TV costs $72.99 per month and includes NBC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, and ABC.

Image: YouTube TV

Sterling Shepard Reunites with Baker Mayfield

After spending the first eight seasons of his NFL career with the New York Giants, Sterling Shepard is on the move. He has agreed to a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, reuniting him with his former Oklahoma quarterback, Baker Mayfield.

Image: Sterling Shepard

Shepard suffered a torn Achilles late in the 2021 season and a torn ACL in Week 3 of the 2022 campaign. The combination of returning from a knee injury and a Giants offense that was out of sorts from the start of the season severely impacted his ability to be a productive player.

BJ Thompson Suffers Seizure and Cardiac Arrest

Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman BJ Thompson suffered a seizure during a special teams meeting and went into cardiac arrest. The Chiefs cancelled all team activities scheduled for Thursday after the medical emergency. Thompson is currently in stable condition.

Image: BJ Thompson