2024-06-28 13:16:19 ET
Summary
- A class action antitrust suit brought against the NFL for the NFL Sunday Ticket package resulted in a nearly $5 billion judgment against the league that, if upheld, could have massive repercussions.
- At the heart of the case is the arrangement between the NFL and DirecTV over its “Sunday Ticket" Package, which has since shifted over to Google’s YouTube TV.
- The plaintiffs claimed the league broke antitrust laws by selling this package at an inflated price and turning down bids that would have led to cheaper subscriptions and easier access.
- The league believes previous laws in effect given it specific exemptions to antitrust rules, and while the jury sided with the plaintiffs, the judge still may decide to intervene.
- For Google/YouTube TV, they're stuck in the middle as the deal should remain valid, but if freed (or forced) to make changes to the pricing, it could potentially lose the package.
A few years back when Google/YouTube TV (NASDAQ: GOOG ) won the rights to the “NFL Sunday Ticket” Package it was seen as a major win. After all, this was a powerful bundle that seemed perfectly suited to the company’s business plan and structure – although now investors are wondering if it could turn into a headache....
Read the full article on Seeking Alpha
For further details see:
How Google And YouTube TV Are Impacted By The NFL's Antitrust Verdict