Mid-South Grizzlies v. NFL
Encyclopedia
Mid-South Grizzlies v. NFL 550 F.Supp. 558 (1982), 720 F. 2d 772 (3rd Cir.1983), was a lawsuit filed by John F. Bassett, the owner of the World Football League
's Memphis Grizzlies against the National Football League
claiming that the NFL violated the antitrust laws by refusing to admit his club to their league.
The court found that the NFL had not acquired or maintained its monopoly power unlawfully and that the refusal to expand to Memphis
did not contribute to its maintenance. It further elaborated that such refusal was actually procompetitive because it left the Memphis area open to rival leagues. By the time the lawsuit had settled, Bassett had gone on to found the Tampa Bay Bandits
of the United States Football League
, while Memphis received the Memphis Showboats
of the same league. As such, the case effectively became moot
.
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
's Memphis Grizzlies against the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
claiming that the NFL violated the antitrust laws by refusing to admit his club to their league.
The court found that the NFL had not acquired or maintained its monopoly power unlawfully and that the refusal to expand to Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
did not contribute to its maintenance. It further elaborated that such refusal was actually procompetitive because it left the Memphis area open to rival leagues. By the time the lawsuit had settled, Bassett had gone on to found the Tampa Bay Bandits
Tampa Bay Bandits
The Tampa Bay Bandits were a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. They were members of the United States Football League . They were a charter member of the USFL and folded along with the league after the 1985 season....
of the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
, while Memphis received the Memphis Showboats
Memphis Showboats
The Memphis Showboats were a franchise in the United States Football League. They entered the league in its expansion in 1984 and made the 1985 playoffs, losing in the semifinal round to the Oakland Invaders...
of the same league. As such, the case effectively became moot
Mootness
In American law, a matter is moot if further legal proceedings with regard to it can have no effect, or events have placed it beyond the reach of the law...
.