The NFL’s Sunday Ticket Saga: Goodell’s Comments Spark Controversy

The ongoing trial surrounding the NFL’s Sunday Ticket has brought to light some interesting comments from Commissioner Roger Goodell. When questioned about the production quality of NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football, Goodell didn’t mince words, stating that the network’s production was below the standards set by other major networks like Fox and CBS.

“I had my own opinion that our production was below standards that the networks had set,” Goodell said. “We had not met that standard.”

The NFL logo, a symbol of the league’s high standards

This comment is likely to ruffle some feathers, especially among former NFL Network production employees. The network carried Thursday Night Football exclusively from its inception in 2006 until CBS joined the fray in 2014. The last game to air on the network was in 2021, before the league pivoted to Amazon’s Prime Video in 2023.

Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the NFL

Goodell’s comments are just one aspect of the larger headache the league is facing with regards to the antitrust suit filed against Sunday Ticket. The suit, which originated from a class-action filing in 2015, alleges that the NFL intentionally limited viewing opportunities and inflated subscription prices by partnering exclusively with DirecTV.

Goodell has called Sunday Ticket a “premium product” and touted the NFL as “very pro-consumer.” However, the lawsuit claims that the league’s actions were anti-competitive and harmful to consumers.

A courtroom, where the NFL’s Sunday Ticket saga is playing out

In a tangential comment that made waves, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones threw the smaller market Cincinnati Bengals under the bus when discussing the hypothetical of NFL teams negotiating TV deals separately. “I am convinced I would make a lot more money than the Bengals,” Jones said. “I’m completely against each team doing TV deals. It is flawed.”

Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys

As the trial continues, it will be interesting to see how the NFL responds to these allegations and how the outcome will impact the future of Sunday Ticket.