After losing the verdict, the NFL secured the judgment in the Sunday Ticket case. And to the victor go the spoils.
The NFL has formally sought reimbursement of litigation costs from the plaintiffs in the antitrust action. The amount requested, according to the league’s filing, is a staggering $389,715.61.
Pecuniary Plays: The NFL’s Move for Reimbursement
This eye-popping figure is not for legal fees but for out-of-pocket costs—things like witness depositions, travel, copying, and other hard expenses the league incurred while defending the case. In the American civil justice system, each party generally covers their own legal fees. However, in many jurisdictions, the losing party can be asked to pay the winning side’s litigation expenses.
It’s a judge’s discretion to decide on these matters, but let’s call a spade a spade: this move by the NFL to seek nearly $400,000 in costs is a bold, if not slightly jerk, move. It would be an ultimate jerk move for the judge, Philip Gutierrez, if he ordered the payment.
A Twist of Fate for the Plaintiffs
Let’s put the cards on the table—the plaintiffs won the case! They effectively proved that the NFL’s Sunday Ticket package violated antitrust laws. The plaintiffs only lost because the judge allowed expert witnesses to testify about damages, only to later decide that this testimony wasn’t sufficient. Adding insult to injury, Judge Gutierrez refused to order the NFL to disband Sunday Ticket in its current form, even though he acknowledged that the evidence supported the jury’s conclusion that it violated federal antitrust laws.
Yes, the NFL has the legal right to seek reimbursement. But let’s not sugarcoat this—it sure makes the league look petty and vindictive. Although this cash grab won’t come out of the pockets of Sunday Ticket customers directly, the effort to make the lawyers representing these customers pay nearly $400,000 serves as a stark warning to any attorney considering taking on the NFL for similar reasons in the future.
Irony and Heartfelt Moments: Football is Family
It’s ironical to the hilt. While the NFL showcases its games and players, presenting football as a “family” sport, here it is showing a different, less appealing face. The bottom line? The NFL might just win the battle but lose the moral high ground.
But, hey, football is family, right?
