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YouTube believes NFL could "deconstruct" Sunday Ticket in next broadcast deals

Future media negotiations for professional football could involve dismantling the traditional out-of-market viewing package. According to information attributed to CNBC contributor Alex Sherman, platform executives anticipate that leadership might completely dissolve the multi-game bundle during upcoming negotiations.

The offering originated back in 1994 to help supporters view contests unavailable in their home regions. Satellite provider DirecTV controlled the service for many years before current platform holder YouTube secured the rights in 2023 with an annual two-billion-dollar commitment.

That ongoing arrangement currently faces an active federal antitrust challenge currently winding through appellate review at the Ninth Circuit level following a trial defeat in 2024. Jurors previously determined that pricing strategies for the package violated competition laws by intentionally steering viewers toward local broadcasts.

Although the trial judge removed the monetary penalties, the underlying violation ruling remains active. Consequently, the organization could face court mandates to eliminate the package entirely or voluntarily restructure games across various cable and broadcast channels to mirror collegiate athletic broadcasts.

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