In the nine days since a $4.7 billion verdict was returned against the NFL in the Sunday Ticket class action lawsuit, not a single team owner has said anything about the outcome.
Packers CEO Mark Murphy does.
In his monthly column during which he answers five fan questionsMurphy chose to answer a question seeking his opinion on the biggest loss the NFL has ever suffered in court.
“This was obviously big news last week,” Murphy writes. “I was disappointed with the verdict and I know we will appeal the decision. I would also like to echo the sentiments the league expressed in its statement: ‘We are disappointed in the jury’s verdict today in the NFL Sunday Ticket class action lawsuit. We continue to believe that our media distribution strategy, which includes all games broadcast on free broadcast television in participating teams’ markets and national distribution of our most popular games, complemented by many additional options, including Red Zone, Sunday Ticket and NFL+ It is by far the most fan-friendly distribution model in all of sports and entertainment. We will certainly challenge this decision, as we believe the class actions in this case are baseless and without merit. and for Judge Gutierrez’s guidance and supervision throughout the trial.'”
Ultimately, Murphy didn’t say much. But why say anything? Why give credit to a very bad result for the NFL that was, in the grand scheme of things, ignored? Why mention this?
Murphy’s decision to acknowledge the verdict in his column gives Packers fans who may not have even heard of the case a reason to start snooping. To start reading about the case. To begin to piece together the reality that, with or without antitrust liability, the NFL deliberately overcharged for the Sunday Ticket package, picking the pockets of displaced Packers fans who were willing to pay whatever it took to watch the team play. – and freezing any tundra aficionados who didn’t have the disposable income to buy a 32-cheese variety pack when they were only interested in Wisconsin’s finest.
The league office can’t be thrilled about this. When it comes to the Sunday Ticket test, less is more. In addition to the $14 billion the league may have to pay, the NFL runs the risk of consumers realizing the league is misleading those who prefer to watch out of market in order to protect the money that comes from the networks that power a game. . at a time (and a maximum of three games on any given Sunday) to local markets from sea to shining sea.
Of course, that won’t be Murphy’s problem. He will retire in a year. When all resources are exhausted, it will be up to his successor to figure out how to raise 441 million dollars.
And if/when the league decides it has no choice but to let the Sunday Ticket partner charge whatever it wants, Murphy won’t have to worry about what that could do to the fees paid by CBS and Fox.
