"Antitrust case could be Armageddon"

[Pimp Doggy]

<div id="post_message_2080630"> Link: <font color="#595959">Antitrust case could be Armageddon</font>

I heard Lester Munson on the radio yesterday and looked up his article, It was published originally on 7/17/09.........

<div style="MARGIN: 5px 20px 20px"> <div class="smallfont" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2px"> Quote: </div> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="100%" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="alt2" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Both the NCAA and the BCS would welcome a decision in favor of the NFL. For the NCAA, the single-entity concept could bring to an end a string of embarrassing and expensive losses in antitrust lawsuits. And the BCS would enjoy new protection against antitrust attacks that have the potential to break up its bowl system.
..........
Can the NFL and the other leagues succeed? A decision will come in the spring or early summer of 2010. If the NFL can find five votes for its single-entity concept, it will transform the industry.

Leagues will enjoy unfettered monopoly powers.

Salaries for players and coaches will drop.

Free agency will wither away.

Sponsors will pay more.

Fans will pay more for tickets, television and Internet broadcasts and for paraphernalia.

And owners' profits will soar.</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> <div> </div>

 

[dawgstudent]

That would suck.

 

[Pimp Doggy]

How much money is enough with the NFL? They already print whatever they need.

 

[lawdawg02]

it could be interesting, with a few pro-business justices. and the NFL will probably win the case. but i would anticipate a decision that is limited to the facts of this particular case. </p>

 

[FlabLoser]

Its too damn expensive. And the year they removed HD from the Sunday Ticket and called it a $100 upgrade is the year I gave them the middle finger.

Today, HD is the standard and they're still calling it a $100 upgrade. All the other superfan bells and whistles are nice and are definitely an upgrade. But HD should be included, especially for what they charge for Sunday Ticket.

Once upon a time, didn't they have a deal where you could pay just to get your favorite team? I'd pay $100 or $150 to get the Cowboys. In HD.

Sure as hell not interested in paying $300-$400 for the whole NFL.

 

[FlabLoser]

<div id="post_message_2080630"> ]<font color="#595959">Antitrust case could be Armageddon</font>[/url]

I heard Lester Munson on the radio yesterday and looked up his article, It was published originally on 7/17/09.........

<div style="margin: 5px 20px 20px;"> <div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom: 2px;"> Quote: </div> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="alt2" style="border: 1px inset ;">Both the NCAA and the BCS would welcome a decision in favor of the NFL. For the NCAA, the single-entity concept could bring to an end a string of embarrassing and expensive losses in antitrust lawsuits. And the BCS would enjoy new protection against antitrust attacks that have the potential to break up its bowl system.
..........
Can the NFL and the other leagues succeed? A decision will come in the spring or early summer of 2010. If the NFL can find five votes for its single-entity concept, it will transform the industry.

Leagues will enjoy unfettered monopoly powers.

Salaries for players and coaches will drop.

Free agency will wither away.

Sponsors will pay more.

Fans will pay more for tickets, television and Internet broadcasts and for paraphernalia.

And owners' profits will soar.</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div>

The NCAA is a lot more loosely put together than the NFL. What's the NCAA gonna do, put in a salary cap? Overpower state laws and regulations that dictate most of the institutions within the NCAA?

I've been a franchise owner before. Not an NFL franchise, but a franchise nonetheless. The NFL is asking for the moon. I think they will not get it.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

[No message]

 

[davatron]

Notice that the NFL endorsed American Needle's request for a hearing and decision. This is lobbying, plain and simple, though it is cleverly disguised. I hope this doesn't go in favor of the NFL.

 

[dbb49]

So, you support the application of anti-trust laws to the NFL, but you are against government intervention?

 

[lawdawg02]

and hopefully, get that win to count for more than it actually should. it's like the nfl wants to "settle this once and for all". that's why they would endorse American Needle's petition for writ of cert. they think that if they're ever going to get what they want from a case like this, now is the time (especially if obama gets to replace any conservative justices).

again, i think the nfl wins this case on its facts, but does not get the single entity status it wants.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

If you get rid of the notion that teams are independent then you very well could make a case that the system is rigged. I have a lot of trouble accepting the NFL as a single entity as historically teams were started separately and joined a league together. But I am not a lawyer and cannot make that judgment. If costs go up too much more and players aren't paid enough, talent could go elsewhere. I doubt another league would be able to start up anytime soon, but more players may go abroad, especially in basketball.

 

[Stansfield]

What the FUG are ya'll talking about?? Damn I hate when people talk "adultese", especially about beloved sports.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

Basically, the NFL is trying to get the Supreme Court to declare that they are a single entity. This would mean that transactions between teams, marketing agreements between the teams and league, and players salaries would be controlled solely by the NFL. Teams would not be able to take action against each other and the NFL would have veto power over all trades. Individual teams would be powerless to stop other teams other than through internal procedures developed within the league. This is because a company/person/government cannot sue itself. Also, because the NFL would be a single entity, antitrust law would not apply since the law only applies to a collaboration of companies. The effects of such a ruling can only be speculated, but they would pretty much be allowed to do whatever they want.

I don't think it would necessarily apply to the NCAA as member institutions are independent of each other, but who knows what can happen when the Supreme Court is involved.

 

[Dawgpile]

The assertion that the NFL is a 'single entity' is based solely on it's joint licensing of it's trademarks through NFL Properties.

I'm no lawyer either, but it seems a stretch to declare the NFL a single entity that way. Creating NFL Properties is just a means to efficiency rather than a creation of a single entity.

I don't think it will happen. The NFL has tried this seven times before and failed.