Jurisprudence

A defense witness in a $10-million lawsuit against the NFL said players seeking damages were paid more than their real market value.

The 235 players in the class action lawsuit were paid $1,000 per week during the 1989 season as members of developmental squads, or practice teams. They filed the suit after U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth ruled last March that the 28 NFL teams violated antitrust laws by fixing the practice team wage.

Jonathan Walker, an economic consultant specializing in labor matters, testified that there was “an excess supply of players” willing to join the practice teams, making their market value “somewhat less than $1,000 a week.”

He said there were 516 rookies and players without game experience cut during camps in 1989, three times the 168 slots available on the developmental squads.