The NFL Players Associated reacted strongly to the convincing victory by American Needle over the NFL this morning in a battle played out in the Supreme Court.
The upshot of the ruling is that the court views the NFL as 32 separate teams, not one massive entity. With a unanimous ruling, the decision overturned a lower court ruling against American Needle.
"Although NFL teams have common interests such as promoting the NFL brand, they are still separate, profit-maximizing entities, and their interests in licensing team trademarks are not necessarily aligned," Justice John Paul Stevens wrote, according to the Wall Street Journal.
It’s an important decision not just for the NFL but for the other professional sports leagues as well and the sports apparel industry. Reebok had won a hat contract with the NFL and American Needle sued saying it violated anti-trust rules.
The players association took satisfaction in American Needle’s victory.
“This decision validates the wins of former players like Bill Radovich, Reggie White, Freeman McNeil and other former NFL Players who had successfully sued the NFL for players’ rights such as free agency and fair compensation,” NFLPA president Kevin Mawae said. “This keeps their wins alive for the players who came after them and who will play this game tomorrow.”
Added Richard Berthelsen, the general counsel for the NFLPA: “Today’s Supreme Court decision strongly affirms that the NFL must play by the same rules other businesses do. Once again, the Court has rejected—as it should have—a sweeping exemption for the NFL.
“The Court’s decision affirms our belief that the NFL should not be allowed to operate as a monopoly to the detriment of fans, players and the government. In a country where competition and fair play are so highly-valued, the Court wisely declined to give the NFL a leg up by usurping the role of Congress and ignoring both the letter and the spirit of its anti-trust laws.”
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