Appeals court reverses rejection of damages award against NFL in Sunday Ticket class action

Key Points:

• The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has reinstated the $4.7 billion verdict in the NFL Sunday Ticket class action but ordered a new trial specifically on damages, not a full reinstatement of the original award.
• The Ninth Circuit found that the original jury awarded damages based on improper consideration of evidence and remanded the case for a new damages trial while upholding the NFL’s liability for violating federal antitrust laws.
• The original $4.7 billion verdict, if finalized, would be tripled due to antitrust laws, potentially requiring each NFL team to pay approximately $440 million plus interest, causing significant financial impact on the league.
• The NFL is expected to appeal the final decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, though the case may not be ripe for Supreme Court review until after the new damages trial is completed.
• This litigation is now considered the most significant legal challenge in the NFL’s history and could have far-reaching consequences for the league’s business operations and antitrust compliance.