Comments on: The NFL Is Entangled In An Antitrust Action http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2009/02/25/the-nfl-is-entangled-in-an-antitrust-action/ A blog for sports agents: Discussing sports business news, Sports Law, and other interesting sports related material Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:09:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: No Trust For The Seventh Circuits Antitrust Ruling – SportsAgentBlog.com | Sports Agent News http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2009/02/25/the-nfl-is-entangled-in-an-antitrust-action/comment-page-1/#comment-138565 No Trust For The Seventh Circuits Antitrust Ruling – SportsAgentBlog.com | Sports Agent News Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:01:31 +0000 http://www.sportsagentblog.com/?p=4375#comment-138565 [...] The NFL Is Entangled In An Antitrust Action [...] [...] The NFL Is Entangled In An Antitrust Action [...]

]]> By: John Orbe http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2009/02/25/the-nfl-is-entangled-in-an-antitrust-action/comment-page-1/#comment-119922 John Orbe Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:35:55 +0000 http://www.sportsagentblog.com/?p=4375#comment-119922 I have to disagree with the sentiment that the "common entity" (single entity) treatment by the lower courts doesn't hold up against the statute. The Court in Copperweld held that a single entity exists when there is a unity of interest between the organizations. The NFL member teams share a unity of interest in the joint promotion of NFL football by NFL Properties to better position the league to compete with other leagues and forms of entertainment. Exclusive licensing, at issue here, falls under the promotional activies of NFL Properties. Because of this unity of interest, the NFL, at leats for this purpose, should be considered a single entity. Without rambling on to much, I think the 7th Circuit was right on in their decision. I also wonder if this is money well spent for American Needle. If they ultimately win at the Supreme Court, this will have cost them millions. Is it worth it for such a small player in the apparel industry? I guess they could be worried all leagues will grant exclusive licenses and then they would go out of business. Still, it makes me wonder if maybe someone else is helping finance/push this litigation. It will definitely be interesting to see how this comes out. Especially since this is the first time a Circuit has given single entity treatment to a major professional sports league. - John O I have to disagree with the sentiment that the “common entity” (single entity) treatment by the lower courts doesn’t hold up against the statute. The Court in Copperweld held that a single entity exists when there is a unity of interest between the organizations. The NFL member teams share a unity of interest in the joint promotion of NFL football by NFL Properties to better position the league to compete with other leagues and forms of entertainment. Exclusive licensing, at issue here, falls under the promotional activies of NFL Properties. Because of this unity of interest, the NFL, at leats for this purpose, should be considered a single entity. Without rambling on to much, I think the 7th Circuit was right on in their decision.

I also wonder if this is money well spent for American Needle. If they ultimately win at the Supreme Court, this will have cost them millions. Is it worth it for such a small player in the apparel industry? I guess they could be worried all leagues will grant exclusive licenses and then they would go out of business. Still, it makes me wonder if maybe someone else is helping finance/push this litigation.

It will definitely be interesting to see how this comes out. Especially since this is the first time a Circuit has given single entity treatment to a major professional sports league.

- John O

]]> By: Corey Crowder http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2009/02/25/the-nfl-is-entangled-in-an-antitrust-action/comment-page-1/#comment-119850 Corey Crowder Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:30:23 +0000 http://www.sportsagentblog.com/?p=4375#comment-119850 Darren, Please send out a follow-up on this story. This can change the way the professional sports leagues are ran today. I really wonder is change a good thing. For the League and small market teams, I think NOT. But for American Needle, the lawsuit is money well spent. Either way, I think they come out as a winner. If they win, they MAY get a shot at doing some business with the NFL (I personally think that they would Black Ball) will keep all the teams from working with Am. Needle. The second way they will / are winning, is because of all thePUB they are getting. I have to admit, I never heard of Am. Needle before this case. And since Goddell is giving back most of his income, he can try to connect with our new business sire: http://www.millionaireprofitnetwork.com, and we will help him get this money back, through networking and making connections, plus some business coaching. DH, have a good one and please write a follow-up story on this subject. Corey Crowder Darren,
Please send out a follow-up on this story. This can change the way the professional sports leagues are ran today. I really wonder is change a good thing. For the League and small market teams, I think NOT. But for American Needle, the lawsuit is money well spent. Either way, I think they come out as a winner. If they win, they MAY get a shot at doing some business with the NFL (I personally think that they would Black Ball) will keep all the teams from working with Am. Needle. The second way they will / are winning, is because of all thePUB they are getting. I have to admit, I never heard of Am. Needle before this case.

And since Goddell is giving back most of his income, he can try to connect with our new business sire: http://www.millionaireprofitnetwork.com, and we will help him get this money back, through networking and making connections, plus some business coaching.

DH, have a good one and please write a follow-up story on this subject.

Corey Crowder

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