The storm has finally descended on the NFL, with a financial flood engulfing the league in a way that it's never experienced in its history. At the heart of the tempest lies a federal class action lawsuit that has resulted in a whopping $4.096 billion verdict going against the league, in a case rooted in the NFL's practices where its Sunday Ticket offering is concerned.

The Verdict and How it Opens a New Chapter in the NFL's Legal History

The NFL's strategic marketing plan involved persuading a wide range of fans to tune into whatever games were offered on free, over-the-air television, through providing the Sunday Ticket. This, however, has seemingly backfired, bringing about the realization that their wallets my get a little smaller. The fallout presents itself in the form of a jaw-dropping verdict that will resonate throughout the sports world. Of the $4.096 billion total, $96 million will be awarded to commercial establishments in the class. The remaining $4 billion will go towards satisfying the claims of residential customers.

The Staggering Monetary Implication and Its Implication on NFL's Viability

Under federal antitrust laws, the verdict amount will be multiplied by three, resulting in a dizzying figure of $12.288 billion. The NFL now finds itself liable for this extraordinary sum of money, following a relatively short period of jury deliberations. Spanning a period from Wednesday to Thursday, the jury took a day to reach their verdict. The colossal amount of money involved in the verdict is unprecedented in NFL's history, underlying the severity and landmark nature of the case.

Signs of the Tide Turning Against NFL and What the Verdict Really Means

The writing was on the wall. Just minutes before the announcement of the verdict, the jury made a request for specific information. They needed details on the number of subscribers each year and how much each one paid. This was a clear indication that they were poised to rule against the league and were only in the process of calculating the damages. When the verdict came, it sent shock waves through the sports world, dealing the hardest blow the NFL has ever taken in court.

The ripple effect of this verdict will undoubtedly spill over into various aspects of the league's operations. Reactions from the league, its stakeholders, and the global fan base, as well as the next steps for the NFL, following this momentous verdict will dominate news in the sports world in the coming hours and days.

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