Sunday Ticket Class Action Suit Headed To Trial After Judge Rules Against NFL In Antitrust Case

The NFL has a big problem on its hands after a federal judge gave the okay for a pricy trial regarding the league's Sunday Ticket package, which will take place beginning in February.

As you're no doubt aware, Sunday Ticket is the NFL's out-of-market TV package. For years, it was available exclusively through DirectTV. Then, starting this season, the package was only available as an add-on through Google-owned YouTube TV.

That exclusivity is at the center of a class action suit from both residential and commercial subscribers. Those commercial subscribers include places like restaurants, bars, and hotels that subscribe to "Sunday Ticket.

According to Reuters, the class action suit alleges that the exclusivity of the package has caused the price to go up artificially.

That, they say, is a violation of United States antitrust laws.

While the NFL was no doubt hoping the U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez would toss out this suit, the LA-based judge decided there was enough there to go to trial.

The six-week trial will get underway on February 22, around two weeks after Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.

This trial will obviously cost the league more money than if the judge had decided not to go ahead with it in the first place, but a decision against the NFL could cost a fortune.

Not a small fortune either. A real fortune. Damages are estimated to be as much as $6 billion.

This case has been in the courts for years, and Judge Gutierrez previously ruled in the NFL's favor in 2019. However, he'll be hearing the case again thanks to an appeal.

As it stands, the NFL's exclusive "Sunday Ticket" deal with YouTube TV for residential subscribers lasts until 2030.

Who knows how this one will play out, but this definitely is not what the NFL was looking for.

Follow on X: @Matt_Reigle