US: NFL’s $12 billion DirecTV deal faces antitrust lawsuit

The NFL and DirecTV are facing a major class-action lawsuit around their exclusive $12 billion Sunday Ticket deal — which provides for a package of the league’s out-of-market football games.

“This exclusive deal allows DirecTV to charge supracompetitive prices for NFL Sunday Ticket,” the lawsuit states. “DirecTV’s arrangement with the NFL allows the defendants to restrict the output of, and raise the prices for, the live broadcast of NFL Sunday afternoon out-of-market games.”

Antitrust attorney Michael Hausfeld and his Hausfeld LLP colleagues filed the suit Monday on behalf of bars and restaurants throughout the nation, led by the San Francisco pub the Mucky Duck. The group claims the TV package is overpriced and violates two sections of the Sherman Antitrust Act.

Full content: The Hollywood Reporter

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