June 17, 2019 Baseball / Litigation / MLB

Plaintiffs File Lawsuit Against Seattle Mariners and Ballpark for Allegedly Providing Inadequate Accommodations for Those With Disabilities

A nonprofit disabilities-rights law firm filed a lawsuit on behalf of four disabled Seattle Mariners fans in October 2018 against the Mariners and the Washington State Major League Baseball Stadium Public Facilities District, which owns the team’s ballpark, T-Mobile Park. The four plaintiffs claim that the ballpark violated state and federal law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991 (ADA). These plaintiffs are Washington residents who claim they encountered issues with seating, food service, or access to certain parts of the stadium and endured …

May 28, 2019 Baseball / Litigation / MLB

Caught Stealing: Sports Agent Alleges Financial Adviser Poached Star MLB Client for Scott Boras

On May 10, 2019, sports agent Robert Garber of RMG Sports Group LLC brought suit against financial adviser Bruce Lee, wherein he alleges Lee helped the infamous agent Scott Boras poach Boston Red Sox star J.D. Martinez just in time for Martinez’s big payday.

Specifically, per the complaint, Garber represented Martinez from 2010 until 2017, when Martinez was positioned to enter the free agent market. However, just months before signing a $110 million deal with Boston – all of which is guaranteed in Major …

April 18, 2019 Baseball / Litigation / MLB

Astros Fan Sues after Injured by T-shirt Cannon

On April 8, 2019, Jennifer Harughty, a lifelong Houston Astros fan, filed a lawsuit against the Astros for an incident that occurred July 8, 2018. On July 8, 2018, Harughty was seated in the stands behind third base with her family, enjoying a game between the Astros and the White Sox.

Suddenly, during a break in play, the Astros’ mascot, Orbit, emerged onto the field with high-powered t-shirt cannon. Orbit then began launching t-shirts, at high speeds, into the stands behind third base. At one …

March 5, 2019 Baseball

Appeals Court Revives White Sox Injury Suit

A three judge-panel on an Illinois appeals court has revived a negligence/product liability suit by a former electrician against the Chicago White Sox.

The suit arose from an incident in which plaintiff Thomas Zahumensky, an electrician, slipped and fell on wet polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, while repairing the scoreboard in the field on which the White Sox Play. The field, which is now known as Guaranteed Rate Field, was known as U.S. Cellular Field when he was injured in 2013. Zahumensky sued the White Sox, …

December 28, 2018 Baseball / MLB

MLB Strikes Deal with Cuban Baseball Federation

On December 19, 2018, MLB and the MLB Players Union (MLB PA) announced that they reached an agreement with the Cuban Baseball Federation. The agreement will allow MLB teams to sign Cuban baseball players without requiring the players to “defect” from the Cuba. Further, the MLB also agreed to give the Cuban Baseball Federation a percentage of signing bonuses that Cuban players receive. The move comes amid slowly easing tensions between the United States and Cuba and was made with the hope of ending player …

November 30, 2018 Baseball / Intellectual Property, Copyright, and Trademark / MLB

Trademark Showdown at Home Plate: Atlanta Braves at Bat against Local Taxi Company

On November 1, 2018, the Atlanta Braves commenced an action in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia against a local Marietta taxi company and its owner for trademark infringement. The complaint filed by the Atlanta Braves asserts Federal and State causes of action against Braves Taxi sounding in Trademark Infringement, Trademark Dilution, Unfair Competition, and Cyberpiracy. In short, the Atlanta Braves claim that Braves Taxi is using identical and confusingly similar marks to those of the MLB team on its vehicles.…

November 21, 2018 Baseball / Litigation / MLB

Pirates Settle in Foul-Ball Suit, with Net Installer as Final Defendant

The Pittsburgh Pirates have reached a confidential settlement with a woman struck by a foul ball at the Pirates’ PNC Park. Now, a jury trial will go forth under a new state court judge to determine the liability of the installer behind the allegedly defective safety net behind home plate.

As we have previously reported, the suit arises from an incident that occurred in April of 2015, when a foul ball hit the netting behind home plate, and the netting deflected or stretched far …

November 15, 2018 Baseball / Litigation / MLB

Baseball Net Installer Calls Foul, Alleging Judge’s Improper Communication

Promats Athletics LLC, the company that installed the safety net at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park, filed a motion requesting a new state judge preside over the upcoming case of a women hit by a foul ball. The company contends that the judge currently assigned has conducted improper communications with the plaintiff’s attorney and is thus subject to removal from the case.

The suit arises from an incident that occurred in April of 2015, when a foul ball hit the netting behind home plate, and the netting …

October 16, 2018 Baseball / NCAA

NCAA Considering More Changes to Transfer Rules

On October 5, 2018, the NCAA Division I Council announced that it plans, in 2019, to vote on four changes to transfer proposals. As we previously reported, in June 2018, the NCAA and various conferences voted to change student-athletes transfer rules. Previously, student-athletes went through a “permission to contact” process. The process limited their ability to transfer as their current college coaches were able to block the athlete from transferring to certain schools. Now, starting in October 2018, the NCAA has shifted to a …

October 12, 2018 Baseball / Litigation / MLB

Nothing But Net: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Net Installer’s Motion for Summary Judgment Denied

On October 9, 2018, Judge Michael Della Vecchia denied Promats Athletics LLC’s motion for summary judgment seeking removal from a foul ball injury lawsuit.

Back in 2015, spectator Wendy Camlin suffered injuries as a result of being struck in the head by a foul ball that deflected from the netting. Accordingly, when she filed suit against Major League Baseball, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the city and county entity that built the stadium, the Pirates joined Promats to the suit, alleging Promats recommended and installed …