Federal Judge: NFL Liable for Antitrust

Taking issue with other courts, a federal judge held Wednesday that the NFL has been liable for antitrust violations since its last agreement with the players’ union expired nearly four years ago.

In a ruling for the players suing over pay for developmental squad members, U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth in Washington wrote that in his opinion the league’s labor exemption has been void since Aug 31, 1987, when the 1982 agreement ran out.

That was just before the union’s unsuccessful 24-day strike against the league.

It was the second decision in a week finding for the players in widely dispersed battles with the NFL.

Last week, U.S. District Judge David Doty in Minneapolis cleared the way for players to sue for free agency by throwing out the NFL’s labor exemption. It will be appealed to the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in Minneapolis, which two years ago ended the NFL Players Assn.’s antitrust suit against the league by upholding the league’s exemption.

Richard Berthelsen, the NFLPA’s general counsel, said he believed the decision could lead to an end to the league’s draft, due to expire next spring under the 1982 agreement.