NFL Names New Top Lawyer as Antitrust Challenges Mount

The National Football League has named Ted Ullyot as its next general counsel, stepping into the role vacated by long-time legal chief Jeff Pash. The decision, announced during recent league meetings, comes as the NFL navigates ongoing legal scrutiny despite its continued commercial success.

Per NBC, league owners were briefed on Ullyot’s appointment as they met to discuss the state of the sport and its legal landscape. Ullyot, who brings a background in politics and law — including a recommendation from Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh — will now take the lead in defending the league’s interests, both in courtrooms and potentially on Capitol Hill.

The NFL, a multibillion-dollar enterprise made up of 32 independently owned teams, remains a frequent target for antitrust litigation. “We’re at the top of the heap,” said New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, according to Sports Business Journal. “We’re going to be a target in antitrust, and in a lot of other ways, we’re going to need legal representation that knows how to go on the offensive and play defense to protect where we’re going.”

One of the most pressing issues facing Ullyot is the fallout from last year’s major antitrust verdict related to the NFL’s Sunday Ticket package. Although the decision was ultimately overturned by the judge due to questions surrounding the damages calculation, the underlying legal issues remain unresolved. According to NBC, this case exemplifies the types of challenges the league may continue to face as its media and broadcast operations evolve.

As streaming platforms become increasingly central to how fans consume games, the league’s reliance on the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1960 — which provides certain antitrust protections for traditional broadcasts — may be insufficient. Notably, the Act does not extend to digital streaming, leaving the NFL vulnerable as its media strategies shift.

Ullyot could also be instrumental in lobbying for legislative reforms. Among the potential targets for revision is a longstanding rule that restricts professional football broadcasts on Friday nights and Saturdays during the fall — a relic from the early days of the Act meant to protect high school and college football.

Per NBC, Ullyot’s role may go beyond courtroom defense; he may be called on to shape the legal framework that governs the league’s future expansion into new broadcast and digital territories.

Source: NBC