A federal appeals court on Friday reinstated a 2024 jury verdict finding the National Football League liable in an antitrust class action over its Sunday Ticket out-of-market game package, while sending damages back for a new trial^1,2.

The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a California district judge who had thrown out the verdict after trial^1,2. The Boston Globe said subscribers alleged the league sold Sunday Ticket at an inflated price and restricted competition by offering it only through a satellite provider¹.

A Los Angeles jury awarded about $4.61 billion to residential subscribers and about $96.9 million to commercial subscribers, a combined figure described as $4.7 billion^1,2. U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez later set the verdict aside in 2024, excluding testimony from two expert witnesses for the subscribers after finding their methodologies flawed^1,2.

A three-judge appellate panel ruled Gutierrez should not have excluded that testimony and said a jury verdict must stand unless it is clearly unsupported by the evidence^1,2. The same panel found the jury did not follow the court’s damages instructions and that the figure rested on guesswork, which is why a new trial on damages was ordered¹.

Plaintiffs alleged prices were set high enough to limit subscriptions and protect fees that broadcast networks pay for local distribution rights². The NFL has argued that its media distribution model is fan-friendly and that the damages were unfounded^1,2.

Attorneys for both sides said they are considering their options after the ruling, the Globe reported¹. What remains unresolved is the size of any damages after a new trial and whether either side will seek further review¹.