NFL Sunday Ticket Litigation: Fans Want the Suit Back in State Court

On Friday, January 29, 2016, plaintiffs involved in a suit over Direct TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket package urged a California federal court to remand the case, which alleges violations of California law, back to state court.

The putative class action was initially filed by Robert Gary Lippincott Jr. in Sonoma County Superior Court back in October. Lippincott’s complaint alleged that contracts for Direct TV’s Sunday Ticket Package are void under California law as illegal contracts including “unconscionable provisions.” Specifically, Lippincott brought claims for unconscionability in …

December 12, 2015 Antitrust / NFL

Central California Named New Home for NFL Sunday Ticket Litigation

On December 8, 2015, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) consolidated and assigned multiple antitrust lawsuits challenging the NFL’s exclusive broadcasting agreement with Direct TV to Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell in the Central District of California.

The antitrust suits challenge the agreement the NFL has with DirectTV, granting DirectTV exclusive access to all NFL games. Because of the exclusive agreement, football fans can only view out-of-market games if they have Direct TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket package. Surely, fans who do not have Sunday Ticket …

October 23, 2015 Antitrust / NFL

NFL and DirecTV’s “Sunday Ticket” Subject of Antitrust Lawsuit

On Friday, October 16, 2015, five plaintiffs brought suit against the NFL, its 32 teams, DirecTV, CBS, NBC, Fox, and ESPN, alleging that current NFL broadcasting agreements violate the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.

The plaintiffs allege that DirecTV’s “NFL Sunday Ticket” stifles competition and unfairly raises prices. Currently, the NFL Sunday Ticket — an out-of-market sports package — is the only way for viewers to watch regular season games outside of the limited games available on CBS, NBC, Fox, NFL Network, and ESPN. This, the plaintiffs …

September 8, 2015 Antitrust / NFL

Another Plaintiff Joins the Trend: The NFL-DirecTV Antitrust Litigations

Over the course of Summer 2015, the NFL and DirecTV have been served with nine separate antitrust lawsuits, alleging that the defendants’ “NFL Sunday Ticket” agreement is in violation of the antitrust laws. All complaints have been filed on behalf of commercial entities, such as bars and restaurants, and the most recent complaint, filed by Jammers, Inc., owner of a bar in Los Angeles, proposes a class action lawsuit against the defendants.

While all major American professional sports leagues have out-of-market broadcasting agreements with …

June 27, 2015 Litigation / NFL / TV

Fans Prepare to Sue NFL and DirecTV Over Blackouts

Another class action suit is around the corner for the NFL and DirecTV. Football fan Thomas Abrahamian filed a proposed complaint in a California federal court on Wednesday for a class action suit alleging that the NFL and DirecTV have violated Sherman anti-trust laws.

NFL coverage is currently set up in the form of a ‘blackout coverage’ system. What this means is games will be broadcasted on a regional basis. If a person is outside of a particular game’s ‘broadcast region,’ they will be unable …