National Football League

Bills coughing up $3M for sending too many texts

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:17 p.m. ET

foxsports

Ever send out too many texts and get a shock when your mobile bill came due?

Well, at least you aren't the Buffalo Bills. The NFL team is on the hook for $3 million all because of three text messages.

The team settled a class action suit on Monday, brought by a Bills fan in Florida who had signed up to receive text alerts from the team two years ago.

In the details of the promotion, it said users would receive between three and five text alerts per week.

Shortly after signing up, according to Jerry Wojcik, he received six alerts in one week. Another week, he received seven.

He filed a claim under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, seeking "$500 per excessive text for negligent violation and up to $1,500 per text for willful violations."

A Florida judge approved the settlement, which sets aside $2.5 million in credit for stadium goods or online purchases on the Bills' site for any approved claims by affected fans. The team also must pay $500,000 in legal fees.

The team issued a statement on Monday:

"The Buffalo Bills have reached a settlement in this matter which we believe is in the best interest of our organization and our fans. The purpose of the Bills voluntary, opt-in text messaging program was to provide our fans with information they requested about the team. The organization maintains that our text messaging program was in compliance with the law."