In a nearly decade-long defense of its premium Sunday Ticket program, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that the league is dedicated to “following the litigation all the way”.
The National Football League was found guilty last month by a jury in Los Angeles of violating antitrust laws by distributing out-of-market Sunday afternoon games on the subscription service. The residential class was awarded $4.7 billion in damages, while the commercial class received another $96 million.
Under federal antitrust statutes, damages are treble, meaning the league may be held accountable to the tune of $14.39 billion.
“We obviously disagree with the jury verdict and we are committed, obviously, to following the legal process,” Goodell said Thursday in an interview with CNBC. We are cognizant of the fact that it is a lengthy procedure. But our stance and policies, especially regarding the media, are matters of the utmost importance to us.
“We make our sport accessible to the widest possible audience. Sunday Ticket is only an ancillary offering. In order to ensure that we do this correctly, we will be closely monitoring the legal process.
Judge Philip Gutierrez will review the NFL’s request to vacate the decision during a post-trial motion hearing on July 31. The NFL plans to take the case to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court for further review if the ruling is not reversed. Subsequently, a case may be brought to the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Goodell voiced confidence that NFL owners would agree to amend league rules and enable private equity ownership of their clubs by the end of 2024. In such a case, the league would probably set a 10% investment limit for each club. Since September, a group has been diligently attending to the details.
“We’ve had a tremendous amount of interest and we believe that this could make sense for us in a limited fashion, probably no more than 10% of a team,” added Goodell. But it’s possible that we see it as something that may bolster our ownership policies and work in tandem with our ownership. We feel like we’re making great strides and could even have something to show for it by year’s end.
As franchise valuations rise and the pool of individual club ownership diminishes, sports organizations have begun to look into private equity alternatives in recent years.
Who is the CEO of the NFL?
Roger Goodell is the Commissioner of the National Football League, a post he has held since 2006. Goodell has led the NFL through powerful development, prolific innovation, and worldwide expansion throughout his stint as CEO, working with the league’s now 32 franchises.
