Federal Appeals Court Reinstates 'NFL Sunday Ticket' Class-Action Lawsuit Verdict, Orders New Trial
The panel said the district court went too far in excluding expert testimony and left intact a new trial on damages for the $4.7 billion award.
- On Friday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated a jury verdict finding the National Football League violated antitrust law with its Sunday Ticket service, ordering a new trial on financial damages.
- Initially filed in 2015, the class-action lawsuit accuses the NFL of antitrust violations, alleging the league conspired to inflate prices for 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 businesses over the 2011 to 2022 seasons.
- U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez abused his discretion by excluding plaintiffs' expert testimony as "unfounded and unreliable," the panel ruled, overstepping his gatekeeping role under Federal Rule of Evidence 702.
- While the liability verdict stands, a new jury must calculate financial penalties for the NFL, as the court affirmed the original $4.7 billion damages award rested on "speculation and guesswork."
- An NFL spokesperson expressed disappointment with the ruling, stating the league is considering further appellate review in a case ongoing for over 11 years that now promises extended litigation.
22 Articles
22 Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
Appellate court revives 'Sunday Ticket' antitrust verdict against the NFL
A verdict in a class-action lawsuit filed by “Sunday Ticket” subscribers claiming the NFL broke antitrust laws was revived by a federal appeals court on Friday, more than two years after a federal judge reversed a jury's decision that found the league liable for $4.7 billion in damages.
Big Blow to NFL as Court Reinstates $4.7 Billion Verdict in Antitrust Case
The NFL has faced several legal challenges over the years, but few have put its broadcasting practices under as much scrutiny as the lawsuit surrounding its Sunday Ticket package. The case, which dates back to 2015, centers on allegations that the league’s exclusive distribution arrangement with DirecTV restricted competition and forced fans and commercial establishments […]
NFL's $4.7 Billion 'Sunday Ticket' Antitrust Verdict Revived by Appeals Court
The National Football League is back on the hook for potentially billions of dollars after a federal appeals court reinstated a jury’s antitrust verdict Friday over its “Sunday Ticket” subscription package, reversing a major legal victory for the league. The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a federal judge wrongly overturned the jury’s finding that the NFL violated antitrust law through its out-of-market game package. However, the …
Sunday Ticket Will Face A New Trial in Class Action Suit
A federal appeals court has decided that there will be a new trial in a class action lawsuit claiming that Sunday Ticket overcharged customers for over a decade. The original lawsuit alleged that the league and NFL teams violated antitrust laws by making exclusive deals with broadcast partners for out-of-market games. The NFL maintained that […]
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