Court tosses out Jets' fan lawsuit over Patriots' secret videotaping

[madinmaryland]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- NFL fans miffed by the New England Patriots' secret videotaping of their opponents' signals can boycott games or team merchandise, but they can't seek legal damages for "Spygate," a U.S. appeals court ruled Wednesday.

The appeals panel upheld a district judge's ruling that dismissed the suit by lawyer Carl Mayer, a New York Jets season ticket holder from Princeton, N.J.

Mayer had argued that fans spent large sums to see games that were essentially rigged, and he sought $185 million in damages for Jets fans alone. The 3rd Circuit Court didn't buy it.

"We do not condone the conduct on the part of the Patriots and the team's head coach, and we likewise refrain from assessing whether the NFL's sanctions (and its alleged destruction of the videotapes themselves) were otherwise appropriate," Senior Judge Robert E. Cowen wrote for the three-judge panel.

However, he said Mayer failed to prove any legal right to damages.

"At best, he possessed nothing more than a contractual right to a seat from which to watch an NFL game between the Jets and the Patriots, and this right was clearly honored," Cowen wrote.

In oral arguments in Philadelphia last month, the judges -- one a longtime Pittsburgh Steelers fan -- seemed to share Mayer's concern over the taping, peppering lawyers with questions for more than an hour. Cowen called the taping "a horrendous violation." But he also thought the league issued "a whopper" of a fine -- $750,000 -- against the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick after they were caught taping signals at the Jets' 2007 home opener in Giants Stadium.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/nfl/05/19/jets.pats.lawsuit.ap/index.html

Well, I guess that is the end of the Belicheat saga.

[El Supremo]

1. I oughta sue the Phucking Phillies!

But I don't buy many tickets to Rockies games.

[Forkboy]

2. LOL

Dumbass fans. I mean really.

Can you imagine the can of worms this opens had the judged ruled in favor? Every baseball fan could sue every other team they watched play because every team has some juiced players (between the Dodgers, Red Sox, Yankees and Giants alone someone would get very wealthy lol). In the NBA they could sue over any game that one jagoff crooked ref worked. The courts would be full of disgruntled sports fan country wide...and Arlen Spector would be leading the charge (especially as he'll have some free time shortly).

[madinmaryland]

3. Heh!

Wonder if someone will make a drunken appearance to complain about this ruling??

:evilgrin:

[joeybee12]

4. Every fan who went to every away game by the Giants could sue...

...it was rigged because of steroids...could say that about so many teams...you're right, stupid, stupid fans...opposing counsel ought to have been given the right to ask for costs because of such an obvious nuisance case.

[Forkboy]

5. The plaintiff is fined $1,000 for showing up.

:)

[joeybee12]

6. And $50 for each word he speaks! n/t