NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke out in favor of the league’s ‘Sunday Ticket’ package in federal court Monday amidst the class-action lawsuit against the product, defending the league’s broadcast model in the process.
For those unaware of the details of the lawsuit, it is a lawsuit originally filed in 2015 and was certified in early 2023, claiming that the NFL broke antitrust law when it allowed DirecTV to exclusively sell the ‘Sunday Ticket’ package of out-of-market Sunday afternoon games from CBS and Fox at what it claims is an inflated price while restricting competition.
DirecTV was of course the home of ‘Sunday Ticket’ from 1994-2022, later being picked up by YouTube TV where it has been since and will be through 2029.
The league, who could be potentially liable for $21 billion ($656.25 million per team), has claimed that the product is a premium add-on for some fans and notes that all games for local teams are available on local broadcast networks.
Goodell, who was called as a witness by the NFL in court proceedings on Monday for nearly four hours, reaffirmed the league’s stance that ‘Sunday Ticket’ is a premium product that the league maintains the right to sell under its antitrust exemption for broadcasting.
“We have been clear throughout that it is a premium product. Not just on pricing but quality,” Goodell said via AP News during cross-examination on Monday. “Fans make that choice whether they wanted it or not. I’m sure there were fans who said it was too costly.”
Goodell also stated that the “fragmented nature of cable companies” is why the ‘Sunday Ticket’ product wasn’t available on cable and was solely on DirecTV.
In fact, Goodell stood by the NFL’s broadcast model entirely, saying that the league is very “pro-consumer”.
“We sing it from the mountaintops,” said Goodell. “We want to reach the broadest possible audience on free television. I think we are very pro-consumer. Our partners have found ways to build our fan base.”
Only time will tell whether the California court will ultimately agree with Goodell”s assessment of the NFL’s broadcast model. But it sure seems like Goodell believes that the league is not in the wrong in this situation.
[AP News]
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.