The NFL’s $21 Billion Problem: The ‘Sunday Ticket’ Lawsuit
The National Football League (NFL) is facing a multibillion-dollar class-action lawsuit over its ‘Sunday Ticket’ package, which has been accused of inflating prices and violating antitrust laws. The lawsuit, which covers 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 businesses, claims that the NFL broke antitrust laws by selling its package of out-of-market Sunday afternoon games at an inflated price.
Goodell defends the NFL’s broadcast model
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reiterated during four hours of testimony in federal court that the league’s ‘Sunday Ticket’ package is a premium product, while also defending the league’s broadcast model. Goodell likened the package to a premium subscription product like HBO.
The lawsuit accuses the NFL of conspiring with major broadcast networks to keep the ‘Sunday Ticket’ package at a sky-high price to hike local viewership ratings. Court documents show that networks pressured the league to keep those steep prices to not compete with local ratings.
Caitlin Clark, a polarizing figure in sports
In other news, former NFL star Julian Edelman has spoken out about the treatment of WNBA star Caitlin Clark, saying it’s comparable to the treatment of NBA legend LeBron James. Edelman believes that Clark’s treatment is the best thing for the WNBA, as it brings attention to the league.
Quarterback contracts have continued to increase in a major way
Meanwhile, NFL quarterback contracts have continued to increase in a major way, with the top 11 contracts in the NFL belonging to quarterbacks. This has led to discussions among NFL owners about implementing a quarterback cap to prevent quarterback contracts from taking up too much of a team’s salary cap.
The NFL’s salary cap management is under scrutiny
The NFL’s salary cap management is under scrutiny, with some owners discussing the idea of a quarterback cap to prevent quarterback contracts from dominating a team’s salary cap. However, this idea has not gained traction, and the NFL’s salary cap management remains a topic of debate.
