SAN FRANCISCO, California — A federal appeals court on October 30 ordered reinstatement of a jury’s antitrust liability verdict against the National Football League (NFL) over Sunday Ticket, while upholding a new trial to determine damages.
The decision does not restore the approximately $4.7 billion award from the 2024 trial. How much the league may ultimately owe remains unresolved.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s opinion concerns DirecTV subscribers’ claims that agreements governing the bundled package of out-of-market game telecasts restricted competition and inflated prices. The panel reversed the lower court’s judgment for the NFL.
The judges found that the trial court improperly excluded subscribers’ economic expert testimony. However, they agreed that the jury’s damages calculation was not adequately supported by the evidence, leaving that issue for another trial.
The NFL told Sports Media Watch it was disappointed, defended its distribution model as favorable to fans and said it planned to seek further appellate review. A separate statement to Deadline said the league was considering its review options.
The ruling advances a major television-distribution case, not a finalized payout. It does not order new Sunday Ticket prices or changes to game availability.