The Justice Department argues for plaintiffs in the Sunday Ticket case; Xfinity launches a new, lower-priced TV package; the PGA’s stop at Riviera is moving south; and the ACC is set to announce the 2025 football schedule.
DOJ requests district court re-open Sunday Ticket case
The US Department of Justice issued an amicus brief to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals last Friday in favor of the plaintiffs suing the NFL over its Sunday Ticket package. The suit, which was originally filed in 2015 but finally reached the court last summer, argued that the NFL had violated antitrust law by offering the Sunday Ticket out-of-market package exclusively through DirecTV, illegally inflating the price of the product.
The jury found the NFL liable for $4.7 billion in damages, a decision that was overturned by the Ninth Circuit judge. Now, the DOJ is urging the judge to revoke that decision and reexamine the plaintiffs’ claims, on the grounds that the damages presented were sufficient to justify an injunction.
In the brief the DOJ writes that the district judge “not only tossed out a multi-billion-dollar jury verdict in Plaintiffs’ favor after finding enough evidence to support the jury’s verdict of harm to competition. It also dismissed Plaintiffs’ claims for injunctive relief without any legal analysis to justify doing so.”
The future of the case is uncertain after changes to the leadership of the Justice Department in the wake of the US presidential transition.
Comcast launches “Sports & News” skinny bundle
Comcast announced that it will launch a new, cheaper TV package to compete with streamers like YouTube TV and Fubo. The package is not a streaming service — it’s only available through digital cable provided by Xfinity. The package will include major broadcast networks, national sports channels, cable news networks and access to Peacock for $70/month when bundled with Xfinity’s home internet service. The price is somewhat lower than the base price of YouTube TV and Hulu + Live, currently $83/month.
Notably omitted from the service are entertainment networks that have become primarily known for their sports content in recent years, namely TNT, TBS, and USA Network. League-owned networks like NFL Network are also not included.
The move follows the trend of distributors attempting to attract live sports fans by trimming entertainment content from their lineups and offering lower prices. The news comes as rival streaming bundle Fubo is expected to launch its own “skinny bundle” in the wake of its settlement with the now-defunct Venu Sports and subsequent merger with Hulu.
Genesis Invitational moved to Torrey Pines
The PGA Tour announced Friday the 2025 Genesis Invitational, traditionally held at the Rivera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, has been relocated to the south course at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego due to the destruction caused by the southern California wildfires. The event will remain in its original position on the calendar — February 13-16 — with weekend coverage on CBS.
Torrey Pines is also hosting this week’s Farmers Insurance Open, as it has since 1968.
ACC reveals early football slate
The Atlantic Coast Conference has announced its Week 1 schedule for the 2025 college football season, with the full schedule reveal coming Monday night. The opening Saturday will feature Syracuse-Tennessee in Atlanta, along with LSU-Clemson and Alabama-Florida State, all games that could feature on ABC.
ABC’s Week 1 Sunday night game will feature Miami hosting national runner-up Notre Dame, with Bill Belichick‘s debut as the head coach of North Carolina coming the next night against TCU on ESPN.
With the SEC and Big Ten schedules already out, the Big 12 is the only power conference that has not announced a date to release its 2025 football schedule.
