Sunday Ticket antitrust class action goes to trial in June 2024

[big dog cowboy]

I hope the league goes down. Everyone should be able to buy individual games and not be forced to buy the entire Sunday Ticket package. Of course there is no telling how much the individual game charge would be. Staying home to watch the Cowboys is by far my first preference. Going out is better than missing the game but from from ideal.

Sunday Ticket antitrust class action goes to trial in June 2024
By Mike Florio
Published January 26, 2024

For years, the NFL’s Sunday Ticket package has walked, talked, and quacked like an antitrust violation. Later this year, a lawsuit aimed at proving that fact will come to a head.

Via Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, a class action attacking the Sunday Ticket approach will go to trial in June. If the league loses, the damages award could be more than $6 billion — or the cost of the Commanders at its recent sale.

Earlier this month, the NFL took an “L” in its effort to have the case dismissed by summary judgment, a common tool for corporate defendants to avoid juries by arguing there’s nothing for a jury to resolve. The judge denied the NFL’s motion. Trial had been set for February 22; it has since been delayed to June.

More: https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profo...trust-class-action-goes-to-trial-in-june-2024

 

[ThatJerryKid]

What irritates me even more, is I actually pay for Sunday NFL Ticket because I don’t live in Texas, and now I have to pay for Peacock (which I won’t do) in order to “legally” see all the playoff games. It’s ridiculous.

 

[FVSTONE]

I hope the league goes down. Everyone should be able to buy individual games and not be forced to buy the entire Sunday Ticket package. Of course there is no telling how much the individual game charge would be. Staying home to watch the Cowboys is by far my first preference. Going out is better than missing the game but from from ideal.

Sunday Ticket antitrust class action goes to trial in June 2024
By Mike Florio
Published January 26, 2024

For years, the NFL’s Sunday Ticket package has walked, talked, and quacked like an antitrust violation. Later this year, a lawsuit aimed at proving that fact will come to a head.

Via Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, a class action attacking the Sunday Ticket approach will go to trial in June. If the league loses, the damages award could be more than $6 billion — or the cost of the Commanders at its recent sale.

Earlier this month, the NFL took an “L” in its effort to have the case dismissed by summary judgment, a common tool for corporate defendants to avoid juries by arguing there’s nothing for a jury to resolve. The judge denied the NFL’s motion. Trial had been set for February 22; it has since been delayed to June.

More: https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profo...trust-class-action-goes-to-trial-in-june-2024

It's all about choice and we don't have a real choice with that barrel pointed straight at our heads! GREED is killing sports everywhere...............

 

[EndGame]

Just a thought -- if the NFL *does* go to per-game pricing, I wonder if fewer Cowboys games will be on in primetime spots, because the league knows they'll make more money off of them in pay-per-view?

I'll just fix my tinfoil hat and see myself out.

 

[Creeper]

Lawsuits are supposed to be resolved based on the law, not what the public thinks is better for them. The NFL is already allowed to operate as a monopoly and in exchange congress overseas their operations to make sure they don't use their monopoly to keep other leagues from competing with them. So far, the NFL has managed to say clear of real anti-trust issues. So the question is, does the NFL have the rights to sell broadcast rights to games as it chooses? The have already allowed government to force them to broadcast uninterrupted games of teams in local markets. You think the NFL and their network partners really want to show Giants-Commanders games when they could broadcast Chiefs -Bills in the same market?

What laws is the NFL violated by packaging its games to one services and allowing the service to sell that package? Do we ask M&M to sell only bags of red candies? Or Good n Plenty to sell only pink ones? Maybe that is not a good argument but the question is the same. I once chose to buy a Jeep instead of a Ford Explorer because the Jeep came with two rows of seats and the Explorer only 3 (which I do not need or want). Should I sue Ford because I don't want to pay for seats I will never use or want?

The NFL will probably present all kinds of financial data showing that they can't make money, or the broadcasting service can't make money, unless they sell the entire package. That should be really interesting hearing the NFL perspective on this. But to me the main question is can the NFL package its product as it chooses? I don't see the anti-trust issues. The NFL is not hurting competition by packaging their product the way they have, although it could be argued they are hurting consumers. But I think that is a weak argument. NFL ticket is not a necessity and people can opt not to buy it.

The fact that the judge allowed the case to go forward does not mean the NFL is going to lose. However I could see the NFL yielding by allowing some kind of split off of games. I just don't expect the price to be anything but robbery.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Just a thought -- if the NFL *does* go to per-game pricing, I wonder if fewer Cowboys games will be on in primetime spots, because the league knows they'll make more money off of them in pay-per-view?

I'll just fix my tinfoil hat and see myself out.

That is a very legit question. When it's all about the bottom line.....

 

[BrassCowboy]

Cheap *******s. Just pay the price or don’t. My god. Complete joke this.

i agree. jeesh you don't like the way a business does business, then don't buy from them.

 

[Bobhaze]

The NFL is the perennial sports bully looking for the next skinny kid to steal their lunch money. Here’s to the lawsuit bringing some small justice.

 

[Jimbo123]

If the Sunday Ticket does go to individual games, look for the price to be in the neighborhood of $25 per. It won't be cheap.

 

[CowboyStar88]

It's all about choice and we don't have a real choice with that barrel pointed straight at our heads! GREED is killing sports everywhere...............

Greed kills competition. We saw it with the cell phone carriers. Buy the competition and monopolize the market! The loser is the consumer.

 

[acr731]

If the Sunday Ticket does go to individual games, look for the price to be in the neighborhood of $25 per. It won't be cheap.

I have no idea what the current price is because I don't use the service. But I can imagine whatever the cost for the package is now will remain the same price for individual games, and those who want the package as it currently is sold will pay a significantly higher price. Probably as mush as 10x or more.

 

[CWR]

Anything that puts a black eye in Goodells tenure I'm all for. I hope the league loses in embarrassing fashion and the comish is sent packing.

 

[Flamma]

Just a thought -- if the NFL *does* go to per-game pricing, I wonder if fewer Cowboys games will be on in primetime spots, because the league knows they'll make more money off of them in pay-per-view?

I'll just fix my tinfoil hat and see myself out.

This is exactly what worries me. But I don't think the NFL loses this. I don't think they are breaking any laws.

 

[big dog cowboy]

If the Sunday Ticket does go to individual games, look for the price to be in the neighborhood of $25 per. It won't be cheap.

Stay at home on my couch for $25? Sign me up.

Taking the fam out for 4 hours to see the game would cost more than that.

 

[JW82]

I hope the league goes down. Everyone should be able to buy individual games and not be forced to buy the entire Sunday Ticket package. Of course there is no telling how much the individual game charge would be. Staying home to watch the Cowboys is by far my first preference. Going out is better than missing the game but from from ideal.

Sunday Ticket antitrust class action goes to trial in June 2024
By Mike Florio
Published January 26, 2024

For years, the NFL’s Sunday Ticket package has walked, talked, and quacked like an antitrust violation. Later this year, a lawsuit aimed at proving that fact will come to a head.

Via Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, a class action attacking the Sunday Ticket approach will go to trial in June. If the league loses, the damages award could be more than $6 billion — or the cost of the Commanders at its recent sale.

Earlier this month, the NFL took an “L” in its effort to have the case dismissed by summary judgment, a common tool for corporate defendants to avoid juries by arguing there’s nothing for a jury to resolve. The judge denied the NFL’s motion. Trial had been set for February 22; it has since been delayed to June.

More: https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profo...trust-class-action-goes-to-trial-in-june-2024

Agreed. Plus youtube product sucks.

 

[acr731]

Stay at home on my couch for $25? Sign me up.

Taking the fam out for 4 hours to see the game would cost more than that.

I wouldn't pay $25 to watch Dallas play, and I live 20 minutes from Jerry world. Anyway, I will never buy NFL Ticket. I enjoy the NFL, but in all honesty, outside of Dallas games I really don't watch any other teams play. What will ruin the NFL for me, and they are starting to trend that way, is streaming only viewing. When that happens my time as a fan will be done.

 

[Deep_South]

They showed every one of the Cowboys games on broadcast television in Memphis this year for the first time in years. Usually they miss 1 or 2 of them.

 

[Buzzbait]

If the Sunday Ticket does go to individual games, look for the price to be in the neighborhood of $25 per. It won't be cheap.

They have to get the money somewhere to pay for all those 40, 50, 60 mil crazy overpaid contracts!