**New York —** A California judge has overturned a jury's $4.7 billion verdict against the NFL in an antitrust case involving its “Sunday Ticket” package. This package allows fans to watch out-of-market games, but required purchasing access to a bundle of games.
The NFL, a major force in television programming, had vowed to appeal the verdict in June and expressed gratitude for the ruling in a recent statement. The league defended its media distribution model, highlighting the availability of local broadcasts on free over-the-air television.
US District Judge Philip Gutierrez, in a court filing Thursday, criticized the expert testimonies provided during the trial. The judge ruled that the expert analyses were flawed and should be excluded. The court also found that the jury’s damage awards were based on speculation rather than concrete evidence.
The case, initiated in 2015, challenged the NFL's practice of bundling out-of-market games in the “Sunday Ticket” package. Plaintiffs argued that this practice forced fans to pay more if they only wanted to watch specific teams, rather than allowing teams to offer games individually at competitive prices.
Had the verdict been upheld, the damages would have been tripled due to the antitrust nature of the case, potentially costing the NFL $14.1 billion.
*This story has been updated with additional context.*