Google gets lumped in with $6B lawsuit against NFL’s Sunday Ticket

Google, as many of you likely know, won the rights to broadcast the NFL Sunday Ticket starting this season, and going through the 2030 season. It’s reported that Google paid about $2 billion per year for these rights. So what did that get them? Well, it got them pulled into a years-long lawsuit against the NFL (and DIRECTV) over Sunday Ticket.

This suit claims that the package is preventing individual teams from getting their own broadcast arrangements. And thus forcing fans and businesses like sports bars to pay for the entire package to catch one out-of-state game. In case you missed it, DIRECTV held onto the broadcast rights for NFL Sunday Ticket in bars and restaurants, which is why they are still part of this lawsuit.

The NFL tried to dismiss this allegation and for the case to be thrown out. That motion was denied, apparently.

 The case is now in class action status

This lawsuit was granted class action status back in February – before Google had actually gotten the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket. The case is now separated into two class action groups. With one being for individuals and the other being for businesses. The trial here is expected to happen in 2024, and if the NFL and DIRECTV lose, it could be on the hook for about $6 billion. Good thing Google is paying the NFL $2 billion per year now.

Google is now part of this case, and the plaintiffs are complaining that Google is only willing over to hand over summary documents. While they want full contracts. So now, Google is being sued to hand over full copies of its contracts with the NFL.

This is a pretty large lawsuit, with over 2.4 million people in the residential class action suit, and 48,000 in the commercial class action suit. And if they win, the NFL and DIRECTV could be forced to pay out to past NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers.

It’s an interesting lawsuit, and it’s something that makes the NFL different from other leagues. Other leagues are able to make their own broadcast deals with different companies and channels, while the NFL kind of holds onto all of that. They have deals with NBC, Prime Video and ESPN for national games, while FOX and CBS broadcast local games on Sundays. It’ll be interesting to see what happens here.