Commanders May Lose $450 Million in NFL Sunday Ticket Suit
The NFL is the most popular sport in the US and dominates the broadcast market on Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays during primetime. Furthermore, it is the largest sports league in the country. In addition, it is a multibillion-dollar league.
The NFL’s 32 franchises, including the Washington Commanders, operate independently and are responsible for generating earnings for the league.
The NFL just lost an antitrust lawsuit against DirecTV users who purchased NFL Sunday Ticket between 2011 and 2022. The problem stems from overpricing due to a lack of competition, as Sunday Ticket is the primary means for fans to see the league’s games on television.
The jury awarded customers $4.7 billion in damages, while corporations received roughly $100 million in damages. However, antitrust rules have the potential to quadruple that amount. This might become expensive for NFL owners.
ESPN analyzed the jury’s ruling regarding the lawsuit.
“The jury awarded the residential class $4.7 billion in damages, while the business class received $96 million. Because federal antitrust statutes allow damages to be quadrupled, the NFL could face a $14.39 billion fine. “The lawsuit covered 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 businesses in the United States who paid for the package of out-of-market games on DirecTV from the 2011 to 2022 seasons,” ESPN stated.
The lawsuit may result in $450 million in damages for each of the 32 NFL owners, including Commanders owner Josh Harris, who recently acquired the franchise. Harris is also the owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, an NBA franchise, and his net worth is just south of $9 billion, so while $450 million is a lot of money for anyone to pay, Harris should be able to handle it.
