In re NFL Sunday Ticket Antitrust Litigation

Stakes

The clubs pooled their out-of-market broadcast rights and sold them as one product. Whether 32 separately owned teams can do that without it being coordination is the exact question American Needle left open for everything outside the Sports Broadcasting Act's carve-out.

Details

Plaintiffs: Residential and commercial subscriber classes
Defendants: NFL, NFL Enterprises, DirecTV
Venue: C.D. Cal. (9th Cir. Nos. 24-5493, 24-5691, consolidated)
Docket number: 2:15-ml-02668
Posture: Judgment entered below August 20, 2024. Consolidated appeals argued and submitted to Judges Thomas, Johnstone, and Lefkow on March 9, 2026. A decision may issue at any time.
Judge: George H. Wu (C.D. Cal.)

Key dates

TBD (not yet scheduled) Ninth Circuit decision — submitted March 9, 2026, no date set

Timeline

Jun 1, 2015 Consolidated as MDL 2668.
Aug 20, 2024 Judgment entered in the district court.
Dec 28, 2025 Notice of oral argument set for March 9, 2026 in San Francisco (entry 206).
Mar 3, 2026 Motion for leave to file amicus brief granted; motion to strike or file sur-reply denied (entry 213).
Mar 9, 2026 Argued and submitted to Judges Thomas, Johnstone, and Lefkow (9th Cir. entry 215).

Mar 9, 2026

Argued and submitted to Judges Thomas, Johnstone, and Lefkow (9th Cir. entry 215).
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Mar 3, 2026

Motion for leave to file amicus brief granted; motion to strike or file sur-reply denied (entry 213).
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Dec 28, 2025

Notice of oral argument set for March 9, 2026 in San Francisco (entry 206).
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Aug 20, 2024

Judgment entered in the district court.
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Jun 1, 2015

Consolidated as MDL 2668.
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Sources

Compiled from public filings, court records, league statements, and published reporting. Status reflects the last verified date shown on each entry and may not capture subsequent developments. Commentary and analysis, not legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed through this content.