Longtime Sunday Ticket subscribers, buyers of the NFL's out-of-market Sunday afternoon games package, could receive roughly $3,000 to $5,000 each if a future damages trial matches earlier estimates. Front Office Sports reports that math implies about $5,700 per residential member when trebled, or about $3,450 after attorney fees of up to 40%, in its payout breakdown for Sunday Ticket subscribers. A Los Angeles jury first awarded about $4.7 billion in 2024. That award was set aside, liability was later reinstated, and damages must now be tried again, so no final payment amount exists.
Official resources:
- Read the original report from Espn — Use this primary source to review the complete report.
- Read the official notice from Wixx — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
Table of Contents
- Who Qualifies as a Class Member?
- Why Has No One Been Paid Yet?
- How Are Possible Payments Calculated?
- What Should Subscribers Do Now?
Who Qualifies as a Class Member?
The certified classes cover about 2.4 million residential DirecTV subscribers and 48,000 commercial establishments. Kutak Rock reports the period runs from June 17, 2011 to Feb.
7, 2023, covering the 2011-2022 seasons, in its summary of the Sunday Ticket class period. Residential members bought Sunday Ticket for home viewing. Commercial members include bars, restaurants, and other establishments that bought the package for customers.
Why Has No One Been Paid Yet?
The jury found antitrust liability and set residential damages at $4,610,331,671.74 plus $96,928,272.90 for commercial buyers. U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez then granted judgment for the NFL and rejected the damages models. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Oct.
30, 2026 reinstated the liability verdict but rejected the $4.7 billion calculation. Reuters reports the court ordered liability reinstated plus a new trial solely on damages in its account of the appeals ruling. NBC Sports reports no subscriber has been paid because damages were vacated, a retrial is required, and the NFL can seek further appeal including U.S. Supreme Court review in its report on the next steps for payment. Payouts therefore remain years away and uncertain.
How Are Possible Payments Calculated?
The starting point is total residential damages divided by eligible residential members. Dividing the vacated $4.61 billion award by 2.4 million members implied roughly $1,916 before trebling. Trebling means tripling under federal antitrust law. That step raised the implied figure to about $5,700.
Commercial damages form a separate pool for the much smaller group of 48,000 establishments. Attorney fees and costs come off the top before distribution. A fee award of up to 40% would leave an average near $3,450 for a longtime residential subscriber. Shorter subscriptions or fewer seasons would pay less.
What Should Subscribers Do Now?
Eligible DirecTV-era subscribers generally remain class members automatically unless they previously opted out. They need file no new claim now while damages await retrial. Keep DirecTV bills, bank statements, or email receipts showing Sunday Ticket charges.
- Confirm you bought DirecTV Sunday Ticket for a season from 2011 through 2022.
- Check whether you ever opted out of the class.
- Preserve purchase records pending retrial.
- Watch for court-approved notice about the damages trial.