Here's what you need to know about the verdict in the 'NFL Sunday Ticket' trial and what's next

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The NFL has been found guilty of breaking antitrust laws in its distribution of out-of-market Sunday afternoon games on the “Sunday Ticket” premium subscription service.

Even though the jury of five men and three women in a U.S. District Court awarded nearly $4.8 billion in damages Thursday to residential and commercial subscribers of “Sunday Ticket,” don't expect any settlement checks or the shuttering of the service anytime soon.

The league broke antitrust laws by selling “Sunday Ticket” only on DirecTV and at an inflated price. By offering the service on only one distributor and with a high price, that limited the subscriber base and satisfied concerns by CBS and Fox about preserving local ratings while the NFL got a lot of money for its broadcast rights.

Three weeks. It began with opening statements on June 6 and featured 10 days of testimony before closing arguments on Wednesday. The jury deliberated for nearly five hours Wednesday and Thursday before coming to a decision.

The NFL brought in Commissioner Roger Goodell and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to testify, but it didn't help. The plaintiffs' mostly used economists and video from pre-trial depositions.

The class action applied to more than 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 businesses, mostly bars and restaurants, that purchased “NFL Sunday Ticket” from June 17, 2011, to Feb. 7, 2023.

The jury awarded $4.7 billion to residential subscribers and $96 million to businesses. Because damages are trebled under federal antitrust laws, the NFL could end up being liable for $14.39 billion unless it reaches a settlement or it is reduced

The residential damages were slightly less than the $5.6 billion offered under the plaintiffs' College Football Model but more than a model where “Sunday Ticket” would have multiple carriers and a 49.7% reduction in the subscription cost ($2.81 billion).

The business damages were much lower than the plaintiffs presented in any of their three models. The lowest was $332 million under what was called the “NFL Tax” model.

It would be spread equally among the 32 teams. That means each one could be paying as much as $449.6 million.

Changes to the “Sunday Ticket” package and/or the ways the NFL carries its Sunday afternoon games would be stayed until all appeals have been concluded. If the league was smart though, it would start offering team-by-team or week-by-week packages along with reducing the price.

ESPN proposed offering “Sunday Ticket” for $70 per season with team-by-team packages in 2022, but it was turned down by the NFL before it went with YouTube TV.

If the NFL offered team-by-team packages all along, one of the key class members likely would not have been part of the lawsuit.

Rob Lippincott — a New Orleans native who moved to California — bought “Sunday Ticket” only for Saints games.

“He just wanted the Saints. If he had a choice to buy a single-team package and watch the Saints games, he absolutely would have,” plaintiffs attorney Amanda Bonn said during her opening remarks on June 6.

The landmark college football TV case in 1984 was determined by the U.S. Supreme Court. This was at the U.S. District Court level.

The NFL said it would appeal the verdict. That appeal would go to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and then possibly the Supreme Court.

It wouldn't be the first time the 9th Circuit has seen this case.

The lawsuit was originally filed in 2015 by the Mucky Duck sports bar in San Francisco. On June 30, 2017, U.S. District Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell dismissed the lawsuit and ruled for the NFL. Two years later, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the case.

During his closing remarks, lead attorney Bill Carmody showed an April 2017 NFL memo that showed the league was exploring a world without “Sunday Ticket” in 2017, where cable channels would air Sunday afternoon out-of-market games not shown on Fox or CBS.

Judge Philip S. Gutierrez voiced his frustration with the plaintiffs' attorneys midway through the trial, but the closing argument by Carmody was clear and easy to understand.

The NFL might be the king of American sports and one of the most powerful leagues in the world but it often loses in court, especially in Los Angeles. It was in an LA federal court in 1982 that a jury ruled the league violated antitrust rules by not allowing Al Davis to move the Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles.

All eyes turn to July 31 when Gutierrez is scheduled to hear post-trial motions. That will include the NFL’s request to have him rule in favor of the league because the judge determined the plaintiffs did not prove their case.

All the major leagues offer out-of-market packages they are keeping an eye on this case because individual teams selling their out-of-market streaming rights, especially in baseball, would further separate the haves from the have nots.

A major difference though is that MLB, the NBA and the NHL sell their out-of-market packages on multiple distributors and share in the revenue per subscriber instead of receiving an outright rights fee.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Documents to support Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' testimony are wheeled into federal court Tuesday, June 18, 2024, in Los Angeles. Jones is testifying in a class-action lawsuit filed by "Sunday Ticket" subscribers claiming the NFL broke antitrust laws. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Case documents are wheeled into federal court Monday, June 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, a longtime member of the league's broadcast committee, are expected to testify in a trial that could last up to three weeks. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones leaves federal court Monday, June 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. Jones testified in a class-action lawsuit filed by "Sunday Ticket" subscribers claiming the NFL broke antitrust laws. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Here's what you need to know about the verdict in the 'NFL Sunday Ticket' trial and what's next

Here's what you need to know about the verdict in the 'NFL Sunday Ticket' trial and what's next

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, right, arrives at federal court Monday, June 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. Goodell is expected to testify as a class-action lawsuit filed by "Sunday Ticket" subscribers claiming the NFL broke antitrust laws. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

NHL free agency opens Monday, less than a week since Commissioner Gary Bettman presented the Stanley Cup to the Florida Panthers.

The offseason comes at you fast, and with all of it packed into a short period of time and more extra money to spend since before the pandemic, general managers are not quite sure what's to come when the free agent frenzy gets underway.

“It's going to be unpredictable, really," San Jose general manager Mike Grier said Saturday on NHL Network. “It’ll be interesting. Every team’s trying to get better, and there’s only so many seats at the table.”

Sixteen seats at the playoff table, but nearly all of the league's 32 teams will make a signing of some sort, and hundreds of millions of dollars are expected to be committed to players this week. This summer marks the first big salary cap increase since 2019 — a $4.5 million bump to $88 million — and there is no shortage of top players who will cash in as part of a free agent class headlined by longtime Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos, 2023 playoff MVP Jonathan Marchessault and three-time Cup champion Patrick Kane.

More trades are also in the offing, after Detroit GM Steve Yzerman called some of the activity at the draft over the weekend “eye opening” and moves he didn't see coming.

“Every team’s got a little bit more cap space,” Los Angeles Kings president Luc Robitaille said. "And we’re seeing where things are going to be (going up) in the next two or three years. We expect some movement, and it should be exciting.”

So much that at least a couple of teams' front offices are staying in Las Vegas following the draft to handle free agency from there. That includes the Washington Capitals, who have been one of the busiest teams lately, trading for center Pierre-Luc Dubois and goaltender Logan Thompson among a bevy of moves.

“We’re retooling and adding prospects and competing,” GM Brian MacLellan said, adding he “maybe” has some more up his sleeve by way of trade or free agency, particularly to change up his defense. “We’re going to shop around and see what we can find.”

Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, fresh off helping the Panthers win their first title in franchise history, are among the experienced defensemen available, along with Brady Skjei, three-time Cup winner Alec Martinez and Sean Walker, a trade deadline pickup by Colorado. Brett Pesce, a longtime teammate of Skjei's with Carolina, has been linked to New Jersey after the Devils cleared room for him.

The pool of forward talent available is stronger, even if Sam Reinhart stays with Florida following his 57-goal season and Jake Guentzel signs with the Lightning after they acquired the high-scoring winger's rights. Kane alone, even at age 35, could have a half-dozen or more suitors after being nearly a point-a-game producer last season for Detroit, and a reunion with New York Rangers cannot be ruled out among his many options.

Similar interest should materialize for Marchessault, an original member of the Vegas Golden Knights who is coming off scoring a career-best 42 goals. There may not be room left for him after the team added $6.7 million-a-year center Tomas Hertl and $7.35 million defenseman Noah Hanifin in March, though GM Kelly McCrimmon was unwilling in the big picture to speculate about how free agency will unfold.

“It’s not completely in any club’s control,” McCrimmon said. “We have a real good handle on what that market is, what that landscape is, what it looks like and we’ll make our decisions accordingly. But it takes two parties to come to an agreement, and free agency is free agency. You’re never quite sure. We’ll see what plays out.”

The goaltending market has been playing out for some time now, with the Devils acquiring Jacob Markstrom, the Kings getting Darcy Kuemper and Boston sending '23 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark to Ottawa for Joonas Korpisalo and more. Plenty more teams need help in net, including Detroit and Toronto.

The Maple Leafs, joining the Capitals remaining in Vegas for the free agent festivities, are willing to roll the dice that they can find a solution.

“How concerned am I of the goalie market? Well, we’ll see what the goalie market is,” GM Brad Treliving said. “We’ve been poking around in it, and we know we’ve got to shore that up on our end but we’re confident that we can.”

AP Hockey Writer John Wawrow and freelancer writer W.G. Ramirez in Las Vegas contributed.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

FILE - Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos moves the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, March 23, 2024, in Los Angeles. Stamkos is still on course to become a free agent even after the Lightning cleared significant salary cap space with trades made at the NHL draft. General manager Julien BriseBois and agent Don Meehan independently confirmed their stances have not changed with respect to Stamkos signing a new contract with the club before free agency opens Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

FILE - Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane (88) skates with the puck as Buffalo Sabres' Owen Power (25) defends with goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (1) in the second period of an NHL hockey game April 7, 2024, in Detroit. Hundreds of millions of dollars will be committed to free agents, including a strong crop of forwards led by longtime Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos, 2023 playoff MVP Jonathan Marchessault and three-time Stanley Cup champion Kane. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

FILE - Vegas Golden Knights' Jonathan Marchessault controls the puck in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, May 1, 2024. Hundreds of millions of dollars will be committed to free agents, including a strong crop of forwards led by longtime Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos, three-time Stanley Cup champion Patrick Kane and 2023 playoff MVP Marchessault. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)