NFL Sunday Ticket lawsuit: How could the case by subscribers cost the league $21,000,000,000?

NFL Sunday Ticket has long been a convenient way for NFL fans to watch live regular-season games. It gives you premium access to every out-of-market game that kicks off at 1 p.m. ET or 4 p.m. ET.

However, an ongoing lawsuit could cost the NFL a lot of money. We'll be assessing the situation and how it could affect the future of NFL Sunday Ticket.

NFL Sunday ticket lawsuit

According to AP News, Sunday Ticket subscribers filed a class action lawsuit claiming that the National Football League broke antitrust laws. The lawsuit began in federal court on Thursday, as the NFL's attorney said that fans have a choice regarding watching games and that the "Sunday Ticket" package is a premium product.

The class-action lawsuit covers over 2.45 million commercial and residential subscribers from 2012 to 2022 and aims to get $7.1 billion in damages. Since damages are tripled under United States Federal Rules, the NFL could be liable for up to $21 billion if it loses the case.

Representing the NFL, Beth Wilkinson said:

"The case is about choice. This is a valuable, premium product. Think about all the choices available to fans. We want as many people as possible to watch the free broadcasts."

The lawsuit, originally filed in 2015, states that the National Football League broke antitrust law when it granted DirecTV permission to sell the “Sunday Ticket” package of out-of-market afternoon games on Sundays airing on CBS and Fox at what it says was an exaggerated price and restricted competition.

Representing Sunday Ticket, Amanda Bonn said:

"NFL, Fox, CBS, and DirecTV agreed to make an expensive toll road that very few people could afford. Every single competitor in this scheme benefited."

NFL Sunday ticket price: How much does the ticket cost?

NFL Sunday Ticket is available on YouTube TV, and it offers subscribers the option of streaming premium action from inside their households. Furthermore, if a subscriber has Google TV, Google has a Sunday Ticket integration option that makes it even more enjoyable to watch.

YouTube TV subscribers pay $349 annually to enjoy premium Sunday Ticket action. They can also get the Sunday Ticket plus RedZone package for $389 ($97.25 monthly).

YouTube Primetime Channels subscribers pay $449 ($112.25 a month) and $489 ($122.25 a month) for the RedZone inclusive package.