The Future of NFL Sunday Afternoons
The NFL’s ‘Sunday Ticket’ has been a staple of American football for decades, but a recent lawsuit has brought into question the league’s antitrust exemption for broadcasting. As the jury begins deliberations, the future of Sunday afternoons hangs in the balance.
Imagine a world where every NFL game is broadcast on a major network or cable channel, without the need for a subscription to DirecTV’s ‘Sunday Ticket’ package. This is the vision presented in a 2017 memo from the NFL, titled ‘NFL New Frontier.’ The memo proposed a system where Fox and CBS would pay 25% less per game, while cable networks would pay $9 million per game.
The NFL’s ‘Sunday Ticket’ package has been a staple of American football for decades.
The memo was a key piece of evidence in the lawsuit, which claims that the NFL broke antitrust laws by selling its package of Sunday games at an inflated price. The plaintiffs argue that the league restricted competition by offering ‘Sunday Ticket’ only on a satellite provider.
The NFL maintains that it has the right to sell ‘Sunday Ticket’ under its antitrust exemption for broadcasting. However, the plaintiffs say that this exemption only covers over-the-air broadcasts, not pay TV.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell testified in the trial.
The lawsuit has far-reaching implications for the NFL and its broadcast partners. If the jury rules in favor of the plaintiffs, it could lead to a major overhaul of the way the league distributes its out-of-market broadcasts. This could include renegotiated contracts with Fox and CBS, and potentially even a new broadcast partner for ‘Sunday Ticket.’
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones also testified in the trial.
The stakes are high, with potential damages of up to $21 billion if the NFL is found liable. The outcome of the lawsuit will have a significant impact on the future of NFL Sunday afternoons, and could change the way we watch football forever.
The future of ‘Sunday Ticket’ hangs in the balance.
As the jury deliberates, one thing is clear: the NFL’s ‘Sunday Ticket’ package is at a crossroads. Will the league be forced to adapt to a changing broadcast landscape, or will it emerge victorious and continue to dominate the airwaves? Only time will tell.
