L.A. judge delays ruling in effort to toss verdict vs. NFL

A federal judge in downtown Los Angeles heard arguments Wednesday but made no ruling in the National Football League's efforts to have a nearly $4.8 billion jury award against the league tossed or modified as a result of a lawsuit alleging the NFL illegally conspired to drive up pricing of its Sunday Ticket game package.

A civil jury on June 27 voted in favor of plaintiffs, awarding damages to football fans and sports bars after finding the NFL violated antitrust law. In the lawsuit dealing with how the league distributes its package of out- of-market games, the NFL was ordered to pay $4.7 billion to fans who alleged they were overcharged for DirecTV's Sunday Ticket and $96 million to sports bars whose owners paid for the streaming package.

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Jurors determined that the league and its 32 teams colluded with DirecTV, along with CBS and Fox, to drive up pricing of the game package. The panel deliberated for about five hours over two days.

The NFL is appealing the decision.

After a three-hour post-trial hearing in L.A. federal court Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez postponed making a ruling and is expected to eventually issue a written decision. The judge could toss the verdict, modify the damages, order a new trial or let the verdict stand.

Since damages can be tripled under federal antitrust laws, the NFL could be liable for over $14.1 billion.

Subscribers to the NFL's game package argued that the league broke antitrust laws by selling its package of out-of-market games airing on CBS and Fox at what plaintiffs contend was an inflated price. Lawyers for the subscribers also argued the league restricted competition by offering Sunday Ticket only on a satellite provider.

The NFL maintained it has the right to sell Sunday Ticket under its antitrust exemption for broadcasting. But the plaintiffs argued that only covers over-the-air broadcasts and not pay TV.

Among those who testified during the three-week trial were NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

The lawsuit was originally filed in 2015 by the Mucky Duck sports bar in San Francisco. On June 30, 2017, a district judge in Los Angeles dismissed the suit after ruling for the NFL. Two years later, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the case. Gutierrez ruled in February 2023 that the case could proceed as a class action. In January, Gutierrez rejected a final attempt by the NFL to dismiss the case.

The class action applies to more than 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 businesses, mostly bars and restaurants, that purchased NFL Sunday Ticket from June 17, 2011, to Feb. 7, 2023.

Google's YouTube TV became the Sunday Ticket provider last season.

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