Here is a look at how the decision affects 'Sunday Ticket' subscribers and the NFL, the reasoning behind the judge's ruling, and what comes next.
The National Football League scored a huge reprieve on Thursday when a U.S. judge threw out a $4.7 billion jury verdict won by subscribers to the league’s “Sunday Ticket” broadcasts who claimed they had been overcharged for years.
The jury awarded $4.7 billion in class action damages based on 24.1 million residential subscriptions throughout the 12-year class period, and $96.9 million based on about 506,780 commercial subscriptions for bars and restaurants. Thursday’s decision by U.S. District Philip Gutierrez to vacate the verdict wipes away those damages, with no retrial. The judge also ruled that the case could not proceed as a matter of law, granting the NFL a full victory in the lawsuit unless the plaintiffs can persuade a federal appeals court to reinstate it.Gutierrez struck two economic experts who testified in support of the subscribers, finding that they used flawed models to establish whether the NFL’s broadcasts allowed for competition.
Gutierrez also called the damages amount “irrational” and said it was based on evidence that the jury was not allowed to consider.The subscribers can appeal the judge’s ruling to the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, though they have not yet said if they will.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
US judge throws out $4.7 billion verdict against NFL in 'Sunday Ticket' lawsuitThe ruling by Los Angeles-based U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez followed arguments by the NFL that the verdict was unjustified and the result of a
Read more »
U.S. judge overturns $4.7 billion 'Sunday Ticket' judgment against the NFLA jury had awarded $4.7 billion in damages to subscribers after it ruled the NFL violated antitrust laws in distributing out-of-market Sunday afternoon games on a premium subscription service.
Read more »
U.S. judge overturns $4.7 billion 'Sunday Ticket' judgment against the NFLA jury had awarded $4.7 billion in damages to subscribers after it ruled the NFL violated antitrust laws in distributing out-of-market Sunday afternoon games on a premium subscription service.
Read more »
Federal judge overturns $4.7 billion jury verdict in 'Sunday Ticket' lawsuit and rules for NFLA federal judge overturned a jury's $4.7 billion verdict in the class-action lawsuit filed by 'Sunday Ticket' subscribers against the NFL and has granted judgment to the NFL.
Read more »
Judge overturns $4.7B verdict in ‘Sunday Ticket’ lawsuit and rules for NFLThe lawsuit covered 2.4 million subscribers and 48,000 businesses who paid for the package of out-of-market games.
Read more »
Judge overturns $4.7 billion jury verdict in ‘Sunday Ticket’ lawsuit, rules for NFLU.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez ruled in favor of the NFL in the anti-trust lawsuit.
Read more »