MLB Sues Minor League Antitrust Exemption

MLB is demand by Minor leagues for remove his antitrust exemption. The lawsuit stems from MLB’s controversial takeover of the Minor Leagues.

The demand

According to sports attorney Dan Lust, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, led by its current and former litigation co-chairs, has sued Major League Baseball in a direct challenge to its recognized exemption from antitrust scrutiny.

The lawsuit, filed this Monday, December 20, 2021, in the morning in federal court in Manhattan, targeted MLB for a controversial takeover of the league’s farm system, which eliminated the affiliations of leagues greater than 40 teams from minor league baseball, or MiLB.

The 33-page complaint argued that the measure, announced last year, was a “bare horizontal agreement to cement MLB’s dominance over all professional baseball” and possibly set the stage for the US Supreme Court to reconsider. a 1922 decision holding that baseball leagues were not subject to the Sherman Act.

BREAKING: Major League Baseball hit with lawsuit to eliminate its antitrust exemption.

The lawsuit stems from MLB’s controversial takeover of the minor leagues.

“The time is at hand to cast the baseball exemption into the dust bin of antitrust history.” https://t.co/DdnLC1ipVt

– Dan Lust 🎙 (@SportsLawLust) December 20, 2021

What the plaintiffs allege

The plaintiffs allege that the precedent in NCAA v. Alston strengthens his case that SCOTUS blindly refused to provide special antitrust protection to a sports company.

They argue that this reasoning favors the removal of the baseball exemption.

Here the complete demand.

The plaintiffs allege that the precedent of NCAA v. Alston bolsters their case in that SCOTUS refused to blindly provide special antitrust protection to a sports business.

They argue this reasoning favors taking away baseball’s exemption.

Full complaint: https://t.co/tt50bBV46W pic.twitter.com/9hTwc9HOgx

– Prof. Dan Lust 🎙 (@SportsLawLust) December 20, 2021