Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made disparaging remarks about the Cincinnati Bengals while under oath in the ongoing “NFL Sunday Ticket” trial.
The NFL has been accused of monopolizing its “NFL Sunday Ticket” merchandise and selling it at “inflated” prices that fans can’t afford, and Jones defended the league’s product on the testimony stand Monday instead of teams selling their own out-of-market rights.
“I’m pretty sure I can make a lot more money than the Bengals,” Jones said. Associated Press“I’m adamantly against teams getting TV deals. It’s flawed.”
The case, in which Jones took the stand as a member of the league’s media committee, has been ongoing since 2015 and only recently went to trial, with Jones and commissioner Roger Goodell taking the stand.
Goodell testified for four hours, according to the Associated Press.
“We’ve been very clear all along that this is a premium product — not just the price, but the quality,” Goodell said during cross-examination in a Los Angeles courtroom. “Fans are going to choose it whether they want to or not. I’m sure there were some fans who said it was too expensive.”
Jones defended the league’s broadcast model even though the Dallas franchise, which he called “America’s Team,” is more likely to make money than any other team, including the Bengals, during his testimony.
The Cowboys consistently top lists of the NFL’s most valuable franchises, with Forbes 2023 rankings valuing Dallas at $9 billion, $2 billion more than second-place New England.
Jones is expected to return to the stand alongside CBS television executive Sean McManus, according to the Associated Press.
The NFL moved its “NFL Sunday Ticket” product from DirecTV to YouTube TV for the first time in 28 years ahead of the 2023 season, but games will still be broadcast free-to-air in local markets.
“We’re vocal. We want to reach the widest possible audience on free TV,” Goodell said. “We think we’re very consumer friendly. Our partners have found ways to build a fan base.”
