The NFL and its commissioner, Roger Goodell are under heavy scrutiny, with the league being hit with a huge class action suit, worth a whopping $21 billion. And at the center of this suit, is the Sunday Ticket, NFL’s premium packages that are sold on CBS and Fox at premium prices. With such a big suit brewing against the NFL, everyone in the football fraternity has been speaking about it and Pat McAfee is one of them.
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The league has been accused of breaking some serious anti-trust laws as well as restricting competition. While on his show, he and AJ Hawk spoke about the ticket prices and how they might be affecting the fans, expressing that they wished the tickets were cheaper.
In fact, he revealed how he himself has gone on to use a different email to get the Sunday Ticket. He even applauded the people behind the suit who’ve been fighting for reparation from the NFL as well as getting the ticket prices down. He said,
“I appreciate the fact that they tried to lower the rates for everybody. And I appreciate that they thought that they were going to be able to get billions of dollars for people who have been subscribers to Sunday Ticket. That’s a good play we appreciate you trying to get us money. Obviously, we all wish that everything was cheaper and I wish that Sunday Ticket was cheaper.”
The NFL Sunday Ticket is for 4 non-cancellable payments of $112.25/mo or $449/yr, carrying all the regional Sunday afternoon games produced by Fox and CBS
Moreover, his co-host on the show, AJ Hawk also spoke about his opinion on the court case. He focused on how Roger Goodell came in to testify and how unshakeable he seemed. With the way he answered questions in a four-hour-long testimony, the commissioner seemed prepared and well-trained.
Roger Goodell’s Statement and the NFL’s Chances
While being cross-examined, Goodell seemed like he had all the answers. Through some kind of training with his lawyers and his internal team, the commissioner was able to take on every single question. During cross-examination, he emphasized the premium perception of the Sunday Ticket. Per AP News, he said, “We have been clear throughout that it is a premium product. Not just on pricing but quality. Fans make that choice whether they want it or not. I’m sure some fans said it was too costly.”
He made it clear that the Sunday Ticket is solely meant for those who can afford it. While Goodell seems strong on his stance, the NFL still stands a chance of losing this case.
With the case being a multi-billion dollar lawsuit, the NFL will most likely try to put this behind them. One of the only ways for them to do this is to negotiate a settlement that has a smaller payout. However, with Goodell coming out to testify, the chances of the NFL settling seem less. This could be a sign that the league might not have any intention to negotiate.
