Comcast on Friday "withdrew its lawsuit against DirecTV" over NFL Sunday Ticket ads after the satellite operator "made a 'small graphic enhancement' to one of the ads," according to Todd Spangler of MULTICHANNEL NEWS. Comcast had alleged that DirecTV "misleadingly called" its Sunday Ticket package "free." But Comcast Chief Blogger J.T. Ramsay in a statement on the company's website said, "DirecTV has discontinued or modified its false and misleading advertising to consumers regarding its NFL Sunday Ticket package as a result of our legal action. As such, we have elected to withdraw our complaint on this matter." Still, DirecTV said that Comcast's statement "misrepresented the facts in the case." The satellite operator noted that a federal judge last week "denied Comcast's request for a temporary restraining order seeking to block the ads." DirecTV contends that "no ads were pulled." Asked what was modified in the ads, a DirecTV spokesperson said that "only a 'small graphic enhancement' was made to one ad in the campaign a week ago." In the ad featuring an Eagles fan, DirecTV “added an on-screen label that said ‘10 Am Los Angeles,’ whereas in the original version there was nothing on the screen" (MULTICHANNEL.com, 8/20). Comcast claimed that the ads "neglected to mention that customers needed to sign a two-year contract in order to receive the package, and that the package automatically renewed, at full price, after the first year” (THEWRAP.com, 8/19).
Already a subscriber? Click below to sign in.
Upgrade your subscription to get all the news you need:
Adding SBJ weekly content will give you the comprehensive view of sports business with:
- Award-winning original reporting, with in-depth profiles, timely research and expert opinions on the biggest issues and stories in sports business.
- 49 print issues delivered to your home or office.
- Access to easy-to-read digital editions of weekly issues.
- More than two decades of archival stories, profiles, research and data.