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A jury ruled Thursday that the NFL must pay more than $4.7 billion to cover antitrust violations with its “Sunday Ticket” package, which allows fans to watch games in non-local markets. game But they need to buy a bundle game Given the antitrust nature of the case, the damages could triple to $14.1 billion if the verdict is upheld. However, the NFL has said it intends to appeal the decision.
If the appeal fails, the huge fine will have a serious impact on the NFL, the richest and most popular sport in the United States. allianceRevenues at the event exceed $18 billion, and Commissioner Roger Goodell is targeting $25 billion in annual revenue by 2027. Rights fees, a major source of revenue, could become unstable as a result of the decision, potentially affecting the financial model of professional sports as a whole.
The lawsuit was filed in 2015, challenging the NFL’s practice of bundling out-of-market games. game Inclusion of “Sunday Ticket” packages that limit fans’ ability to attend specific games team The plaintiffs’ lawyers argued that this practice forced fans to pay too much because individual team Can provide their game If it were allowed to operate independently, its prices would be more competitive.
Bill Carmody, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, expressed satisfaction with the swift verdict of the Los Angeles jury, which deliberated for less than two hours. “Justice has been served, and this is a great day for consumers around the world,” Carmody told CNN.
The plaintiff claimed that the purchase of a specific game or team Rather than the entire allianceOutside the market gameHowever, the jury’s decision focused solely on damages and did not call for a change in game Carmody wants the court to handle the issue separately.
The NFL defended its distribution strategy, emphasizing that it provides fans with a wide range of game Free to play on broadcast networks, with additional game There is no additional charge for cable, satellite or streaming service subscribers. The NFL said in response to the ruling: “We are disappointed with today’s jury verdict in the NFL Sunday Ticket class action lawsuit. We believe our media distribution strategy provides a solid foundation for all NFL game On free-to-air TV in participating areas teamOur most popular markets and countries gameis one of the most fan-favorite models in sports and entertainment. We will certainly challenge this decision as we believe the class action in this case is baseless and without merit.”
The case focuses on packages offered by DirecTV, which had exclusive rights to the “Sunday Ticket” package until Google’s YouTube TV acquired it early last year. seasonThe deal costs $2 billion a year, according to The Wall Street Journal. YouTube currently charges fans $449 a year for its subscription plan.
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