The NFL has lost its initial class-action lawsuit involving the pricing of its “Sunday Ticket” package that fans have used for 30 years to consume out-of-market football games. The league is being accused of violating antitrust laws, which will result in a staggering $12 billion to be paid to businesses and consumers who purchased the “Sunday Ticket” from June 17, 2011, to Feb. 7, 2023.
Read more: NFL Ordered to Pay Billions in ‘Sunday Ticket’ Antitrust Trial
The NFL is set to fight this in court, first with a trial lawyer, and then with an appeal. Though there is no telling who may carry the football package, the trial has already led to a significant change in how games will be delivered for the 2024 season.
According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, “Here’s a decision that was already in the works. Sunday Ticket will finally be available to bars, restaurants, and other businesses not only via satellite dish but also by streaming. The news comes from a Tuesday press release announcing the acquisition of UPShow by EverPass Media.”
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Initially, the “Sunday Ticket” was only available through DirecTV, which then sold the rights to YouTubeTV before the 2023 season. Now, UPshow and EverPass will showcase the NFL package via streaming for the first time to businesses.
This is a massive change considering nobody could watch the “Sunday Ticket” unless they had been paying for the cable package via DirecTV and YouTubeTV, while also paying the $300-plus amount it cost for the package.
Part of the complaint that exists in the trial that the NFL has now lost is that other streaming companies like AppleTV and ESPN wanted to offer a much more affordable price of $70 for the “Sunday Ticket.” They also had plans to sell a single game at a time or a single team, which likely would have been far cheaper as well.
The NFL is being accused of knowingly inflating prices so that everyday consumers and businesses could not afford the price, resulting in having to watch local games via CBS and FOX. The league did not want ratings to drop via the local games offered on the previously mentioned channels.
Though the NFL still plans to fight this case, businesses being able to stream the “Sunday Ticket” for the first time ever is the first of many potential changes that could happen for the 2024 season. By the time September rolls around, the $70 price point could also be in effect, though that is just wishful thinking at this point.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.