Somewhat related to the ongoing NASCAR antitrust lawsuit was the decision announced on Monday that the United States Soccer Federation did not violate antitrust laws in its handling of the North American Soccer League.
The NASL sued that Major League Soccer illegally conspired with the Federation to refuse recognizing it as Division II league.
From a Sportico report on the trial and decision:
“NASL, which refused to operate as a Division III league, maintains it was downgraded in the classification process not on the merits, but because of conspiratorial misconduct. U.S. Soccer argued the opposite, insisting it applied objective metrics, including minimum stadium seating capacity, number of teams and time zone coverage and denying there was any conspiracy with MLS.
“The jurors received instructions from U.S. District Judge Hector Gonzalez on Monday for four counts regarding alleged conspiratorial and monopolistic illegal acts. The jurors rendered a unanimous verdict for U.S. Soccer not long thereafter.”
This is related to the 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports v. NASCAR antitrust lawsuit because the lawyers for both sides represented the parties on the soccer case as well. NASCAR’s lead lawyer Chris Yates successfully defended the US Soccer Federation and Major League Soccer against 23XI and Front Row lead attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who represented the NASL.
The merits of the case are not the same but it’s just a reflection of how these two lawyers routinely have argued for their clients against each other for well over a decade.
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Judge rules against NASCAR’s motion to dismiss, trial on schedule
