Archive for July, 2009
Sewing up a $300 Wings sweater?
It’s not often that we can legitimately link to an ESPN article here. EPSN’s Lester Munson provides a great write-up of the stakes involved in American Needle v. National Football League.
For those not following the American Needle case, American Needle manufacturer ballcaps with NFL team logos. The NFL eventually granted an exclusive license for such wares to an American Needle competitor and American Needle filed suit under the Sherman Antitrust Act. Following a NFL victory in both the district and circuit courts on the basis of the NFL-promoted single entity theory, American Needle filed a cert petition, which was granted by the High Court late last month.
Given the significant implications to everyone associated with professional franchises, the amici briefs should be fascinating and not just for the big names involved.