January 9, 2020 Contract / Litigation / NFL

St. Louis Returns to Supreme Court, Argues That Rams Lawsuit Does Not Belong in Arbitration

The city of St. Louis and its stadium authority told the U.S. Supreme Court that it should not take an appeal filed by the Los Angeles Rams and their owner, Stan Kroenke. The city argues that the Rams’ relocation lawsuit belongs in court.

In April 2017, the city and county of St. Louis joined the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority in a lawsuit against the Rams, Kroenke, and the NFL. The St. Louis entities claimed that the defendants failed to follow NFL …

October 11, 2019 Contract / Litigation / NFL

St. Louis Stadium Authority Tells Supreme Court: Don’t Further Delay Rams Move Suit

The St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority argued to the U.S. Supreme Court that there is no reason for the court to halt its lawsuit against the Los Angeles Rams and owner Stan Kroenke.

Last week, the Rams and Kroenke asked Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch to halt the case while they petition the Supreme Court to intervene. While the St. Louis Authority stated that the Rams and Kroenke may continue to pursue their supreme court petition, they argued that the court …

September 30, 2019 Defamation / Harassment / Litigation / NFL

New England Patriots Player Asks Judge to Throw Out ‘Trash Talk’ Lawsuit

New England Patriots safety Patrick Chung has asked a federal judge to dismiss a defamation lawsuit by a former Los Angeles Rams employee that involves the posting of a text message on social media.

As we reported earlier, former Rams ticket executive Matthew Hogan sued Chung and Matthew Weymouth, a friend of Chung’s who ran his social media pages. The lawsuit is over text messages that Chung posted to his social media. The post consisted of an exchange between Hogan and Weymouth where Hogan …

September 18, 2019 Litigation / NFL

“Nola No Call” Suit Sacked, Dismissed Before the End Zone

A lawsuit alleging an improper call by an NFL referee has been dismissed.

The suit was filed by attorney Antonio Le Mon and three others after the NFC Championship playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams. In the game, the referees failed to make a call on a pass interference against the Rams; had the call been made, the Saints would have been in a better position to win the game. The NFL later admitted that the circumstances warranted a pass interference call.

The …

July 8, 2019 Litigation / NFL

Rams to Pay $7.2 Million in Attorney Fees in Class Action Lawsuit by St. Louis Fans

A federal judge approved a settlement agreement in a class action lawsuit brought by football fans who bought personal seat licenses for St. Louis Rams home games before the team was moved to Los Angeles in January 2016. U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr., a Missouri federal judge, granted the plaintiffs $7.2 million in attorney fees after approving two $3.6 million awards. Each of these awards are to be paid by the St. Louis Rams LLC to counsel.

Judge Limbaugh also released an order …

April 15, 2019 Defamation / Harassment / Litigation / NFL

Patrick Chung Sued over Posted Trash Talk

On March 27, 2019, a former Los Angeles Rams ticket executive, Matthew Hogan, sued Patriots safety Patrick Chung and Matthew Weymouth over trash talk that was later posted on social media. According to the lawsuit, Hogan was “forced from his job” and now cannot find a new job after Weymouth, the man who runs Chung’s social media account, posted a text message exchange, between Hogan and Weymouth, where Hogan said, “Patrick Chung is a b***h.”

According to Hogan, the text message was a joke sent …

January 28, 2019 Litigation / NFL

At The Goal Line: Rams and PSL Holders Secure Prelimary Settlement Approval

On Thursday, January 24, the Los Angeles Rams and purchasers of personal seat licenses (PSLs) procured preliminary approval of a settlement agreement in the amount of $24 million.

By way of brief history, the St. Louis Rams moved to Los Angeles back in 2015. Following this relocation, several St. Louis Rams’ PSL holders brought suit on behalf of more than 46,000 PSL purchasers who secured their PSLs prior to the team’s departure. These multiple lawsuits were ultimately combined into a singular action; this combined action …

September 6, 2017 NFL

Rams Hit Hard Over Franchise Move to Los Angeles

Last September, a federal judge in St. Louis ruled that the Rams must refund deposits to some fans that purchased personal seat licenses (PSL) during the franchise’s two decades in the city and offer others the opportunity to buy season tickets to games in Los Angeles. That decision by U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. came in three lawsuits, which were later consolidated into one case. At issue were about 46,000 PSLs to buy season tickets in St. Louis first sold by FANS Inc., …

September 27, 2016 Litigation / NFL

Rams Must Compensate Fans for St. Louis Personal Seat Licenses

On September 21, 2016, U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. ruled that the Los Angeles Rams must compensate some St. Louis Rams personal seat license holders with either a refund or new season tickets. Three different parties have sued the Rams regarding the more than 46,000 people who bought PSLs prior to the team’s departure in January, but in July, the lawsuits were consolidated into one case, although they differ in the type of damages being sought.

The suit itself is quite convoluted, as …

August 24, 2016 Litigation / NFL

Rams Claim They Owe Fans Nothing After Move to Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Rams responded to requests by fans to refund the purchases they made of useless seat licenses through the 2024 season. According to the NFL team, the plaintiff is misinterpreting the licensing agreements. The Rams are requesting that the court deny the requests of the proposed class.

The Ram’s recent decision to move from St. Louis to Los Angeles has since caused issues with angry fans and season ticketholders. The plaintiffs point to a contract clause that obligates the team to pay back …