ESPN, NBC, CBS and Fox were "dropped Friday from the class-action antitrust lawsuit that alleged DirecTV’s Sunday Ticket customers were unfairly treated by anti-competitive pricing and restrictive supply," according to Greg Evans of DEADLINE.com. Only the NFL and DirecTV "will continue as defendants in the case." The lawsuit "stems from cases that began last summer when various bars and restaurants began to oppose the prices they paid the NFL to show out of market games via DirecTV’s Sunday Ticket package." The various lawsuits were "consolidated into a class action suit" (DEADLINE.com, 6/25). THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Eriq Gardner noted the NFL and DirecTV are "bearing the brunt" of the lawsuit. That is not to say, though, that the outcome of the dispute "won't impact the broadcasters (who may also be subject to discovery demands for contracts and communications)." In fact, there "remains ample discussion in the lawsuit of the various broadcaster deals and what has and hasn't been allowed" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 6/25).
